INDIAN  SKETCHES 


TAKEN     DURING      A      U.    S.    EXPEDITION     TO     MAKE 

TREATIES    WITH    THE    PAWNEE    AND    OTHER 

TRIBES  OF   INDIANS    IN  1833 


BY 


JOHN  TREAT  IRVING 

AUTHOR  OF  "THE  VAN  GELDER  PAPERS,"  ETC. 


NEW  YORK  AND  LONDON 

G.  P.  PUTNAM'S   SONS 

&|je  Knickerbocker  Ipress 
i  $88 


COPYRIGHT   BY 

JOHN  TREAT  IRVING 
1888 


Press  of 

G.  P.  PUTNAM'S  SONS 
New  York 


PREFACE. 


THESE  Indian  sketches  were  written 
more  than  fifty  years  ago. 

The  writer  had  just  returned  from  a  length 
ened  sojourn  in  that  portion  of  our  country, 
which  was  then  a  region  of  romance  and  mys 
tery,  inhabited  by  a  hospitable  but  warlike 
people. 

The  great  plains  were  teeming  with  game 
and  gorgeous  with  flowers. 

As  yet  civilization  had  not  advanced  thus 
far,  and  all  that  the  settlers  who  were  scattered 
along  the  line  of  frontier  States  knew  of  the 
vast  regions  beyond  them,  was  gleaned  from 
the  trappers  and  fur-traders,  who  occasionally 
stopped  at  their  log  cabins  on  their  way  to  and 
from  the  Rocky  Mountains. 

The  4<  sketchy  "  form  of  this  work  arises  from 
the  fact  that  several  portions  of  it,  at  first,  ap 
peared  in  one  of  the  New  York  newspapers, 
and  as  they  seemed  to  excite  some  interest, 
iii 


390412 


iv  Preface. 

and  were  copied  in  different  journals  through 
out  the  country,  the  author  collected  them  in 
a  volume,  adding  enough  of  narrative  to  explain 
the  object  of  the  expedition. 

They  were  not  intended  to  form  a  continu 
ous  narrative,  but  to  give  an  idea  of  the  habits 
and  customs  of  the  Indian  tribes  whom  the 
author  visited,  and  who,  at  that  time,  lived  in 
their  pristine  simplicity,  uncontaminated  by 
the  vices  of  the  lawless  white  men,  who  usually 
drift  in  advance  of  civilization  ;  but  who  had 
not  as  yet  reached  the  tribes  inhabiting  the 
borders  of  the  Platte  River. 


CONTENTS. 


INTRODUCTION. 

PACK 

Introductory  Account  of  the  Objects  of  the  Expedition, 
and  of  the  Persons  Who  Composed  It — Written  in 

1835 I 

CHAPTER  I. 

Journey  to  Independence 9 

CHAPTER  II. 
Rangers — Kansas  River — Shawnees — Delawares — Leav- 

enworth 13 

CHAPTER   III. 
The  Sac  Indian 26 

CHAPTER   IV. 
A  Band  of  Kansas 3° 

CHAPTER  V. 
The  Forest—The  Kickapoos 43 

CHAPTER  VI. 
Departure  for  the  Pawnees — Prairie  Life       .         .         .49 

CHAPTER   VII. 
The  Party  of  Sac  Indians 59 

CHAPTER  VIII. 
The  Journey— Saline  River 67 


vi  Contents. 

CHAPTER   IX. 

FAGS 

The   Otoe   Messengers — An   Otoe  Warrior — The  lotan 

Chief 75 

CHAPTER  X. 
lotan  and  His  Brother — Indian  Revenge       .         .         .81 

CHAPTER   XI. 
The  Reception— The  Town 85 

CHAPTER   XII. 
Indian  Habits — The  Escape 95 

CHAPTER   XIII. 
The  Rival  Chiefs— Indian  Feasts 100 

CHAPTER   XIV. 
Domestic  Grievances       .......  106 

CHAPTER  XV. 
A  Man  of  the  World— The  Chase          .         .         .         .112 

CHAPTER   XVI. 
The  Metamorphosis        .         .         .         .         .         .         .120 

CHAPTER  XVII. 
Indian  Dogs    ...  .....   123 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 
Indian  Life 127 

CHAPTER  XIX. 
The  Otoe  Council 134 

CHAPTER   XX. 
Distribution  of  Presents          ......  139 

CHAPTER   XXI. 
Departure  of  Otoes  for  the  Hunting-Grounds,  and  our 

Departure  for  the  Pawnee  Villages          .         ,         .   147 


Contents.  vii 

CHAPTER  XXII. 

by  Grand  Paw- 

159 


PAGE 

Preparations  for  Reception — Reception  by  Grand  Paw- 


CHAPTER   XXIII. 

Journey  to  the  Grand  Pawnee  Village — Old  Indian 
Female  —  Chief's  Lodge  —  Indian  Feasts — Kioway 
Female  .........  168 

CHAPTER   XXIV. 

Grand  Pawnee  Village — The  Council     .         .         .         .179 

CHAPTER   XXV. 

Receiving  Horses — Departure  from  Grand  Pawnees — 
grossing  the  Platte — The  lotan's  Wife  .  .  .189 

CHAPTER    XXVI. 

Journey  to  the  Republican  Village,  and  Reception       .   199 

CHAPTER   XXVII. 
Indian  Mischief — Crossing  the  Loup  Fork  of  the  Platte 

— Entrance  in  the  Republican  Village     .         .         .  206 

CHAPTER   XXVIII. 
Indian  Females  and  Feasts     .         .         .         .         .         .212 

CHAPTER   XXIX. 
The  Doctor's   Adventure — Indian  Dirge         .         .         .221 

CHAPTER   XXX. 

Leaving  Republican  Village — Prairie  between  That  and 
Tappage  Village — Reception  by  Tappages — Depart 
ure—White  Cranes— Black  Chief  of  the  Loups— 
Reception — Chief's  Lodge — Soldier  Chief's  Feast  .  233 

CHAPTER   XXXI. 

Exploit  of  the  Black  Chief — Alarm  in  the  Town — De 
parture  from  Grand  Pawnees — Delegation  Death 
Song  .  .  .  .  «  .  .  .  .  248 


viii  Contents. 

CHAPTER   XXXII. 

PAGE 

Storm— Dog   Feast 255 

CHAPTER   XXXIII. 
Hunting — Prairie   Dogs  .......   260 

CHAPTER   XXXIV. 
Deer   Hunt  —  Encampment — Indian    Night-Fires — Lost 

Horses — Doctor's  Mule    ......  264 

CHAPTER   XXXV. 

Elk  Chase— Wandering  from  Party— Herd  of  Elk- 
Night  Camp — Hill  of  Bones — Raccoon — Indian — 
Return  to  Party — Wild  Horse  ....  272 

CHAPTER   XXXVI. 
The  False  Alarm 285 

CHAPTER  XXXVII. 

Elk  Chase — Indian  Sagacity — Indian  Camp    .         .         .  290 

CHAPTER   XXXVIII. 
Separation    from    Party  —  Burning    Prairie  —  Wolves — 

Journey 300 

CHAPTER   XXXIX. 

A  Hunted  Deer — Deserted  Encampment — Distant  In 
dians — Night  Camp — Owls — Burning  Sycamore  .  311 

CHAPTER   XL. 

Wild  Turkey — Squirrel — Paroquets — Trail — Kansas  In 
dian  —  Night  Camp  —  Deserted  House  —  Kansas 
Agency — Reaching  Leaven  worth  .  .  .  .321 

CHAPTER   XLI. 
The  Relief  Party 340 


Contents.  ix 

CHAPTER  XLII. 

PAGE 

Assembling  of  Council — Council     .....  350 

CHAPTER  XLIII. 
Kansas  Council— White  Plume— Tappage  Chief— Treaty 

— Interpreters — Departure        .....  359 


INTRODUCTION. 

Introductory  Account  of  the  Objects  of  the  Ex 
pedition,  and  of  the  Persons  Who  Composed  It. 
Written  in  1835. 

FOR  several  years  past  the  Government  of 
the  United  States,  as  is  well  known,  has 
been  engaged  in  removing  the  Indian  tribes 
resident  in  the  States,  to  tracts  of  wild  but 
fertile  land  situated  beyond  the  verge  of  white 
population. 

Some  of  the  tribes,  thus  removed,  however, 
when  they  came  to  hunt  over  the  lands  as 
signed  to  them,  encountered  fierce  opposition 
from  the  aboriginal  tribes  of  the  prairies,  who 
claimed  the  country  as  their  own,  and  denied 
the  right  of  the  United  States  to  make  the 
transfer. 

The  migratory  tribes  were  thus  placed  in  a 
disastrous  predicament ;  having  sold  their  na 
tive  lands  to  the  United  States,  they  had  no 
place  to  which  they  might  retreat,  while  they 


:-2 '* «  Introductory  Account. 

could  maintain  a  footing  in  their  new  homes 
only  by  incessant  fighting. 

The  Government  of  the  United  States  has 
tened  to  put  an  end  to  the  bloody  conflicts 
thus  engendered,  by  purchasing  the  contested 
lands,  and  effecting  treaties  of  peace  between 
the  jarring  tribes. 

In  some  instances,  however,  the  aboriginals 
remained  unappeased.  This  especially  was 
the  case  with  a  fierce  and  numerous  tribe  of 
Pawnees  inhabiting  the  banks  of  the  Platte 
River,  and  who  were  backed  in  their  hostilities 
by  their  allies  the  Otoes,  who,  though  less 
numerous,  were  even  more  daring  than  them 
selves. 

These  two  tribes  laid  claim  to  all  the  land 
lying  between  the  Platte  and  Kansas  rivers  ; 
a  region  comprising  several  hundred  square 
miles. 

It  had  long  been  their  favorite  hunting- 
ground,  in  which  it  was  death  for  a  strange 
hunter  to  intrude. 

This  forbidden  tract,  however,  had  been 
granted  by  the  United  States  to  the  Dela- 
wares  ;  and  the  latter  had  made  it  the  scene 
of  their  hunting  excursions. 


Introductory  Account.  3 

A  bitter  feud  was  the  consequence.  The 
tract  in  question  became  a  debatable  ground, 
in  which  war  parties  were  continually  lurking. 

The  Delawares  had  been  attacked,  while  hunt 
ing,  by  the  Pawnees,  and  many  of  their  tribe 
had  fallen.  The  Delawares  in  revenge  had 
burnt  one  of  the  Pawnee  towns,  while  the  war 
riors  were  absent  on  a  buffalo  hunt. 

The  hostile  feelings  thus  awakened  among 
these  tribes  had  been  manifested  towards  the 
white  men. 

Several  trappers  and  traders  had  been  mas 
sacred  by  the  Pawnees,  who  looked  upon  them 
as  intruders  ;  and  who  were  too  far  off  from 
the  settlements,  too  confident  of  their  own 
prowess,  and  too  ignorant  of  the  power  of  the 
whites,  to  care  much  either  for  their  friendship 
or  enmity. 

In  this  state  of  things,  the  Commissioners 
appointed  by  the  Government  to  superintend 
the  settlement  of  the  migratory  tribes  were  in 
structed  to  proceed  to  the  region  in  question, 
to  purchase  the  contested  lands  of  the  Pawnees, 
to  induce  them  to  remove  to  the  north  of  the 
Platte  River,  and  to  effect  a  treaty  of  peace 
between  them  and  their  new  neighbors. 


4  Introductory  Account. 

For  this  purpose,  in  the  summer  of  1833, 
Mr.  E.,  the  same  Commissioner  who  in  the 
preceding  year  had  explored  a  tract  of  the 
hunting-grounds  between  the  Arkansas  and 
the  Grand  Canadian,  set  out  from  Washington 
for  Fort  Leavenworth,  a  frontier  post  on  the 
Missouri  River,  about  forty  miles  beyond  the 
boundary  line  of  the  State  of  Missouri,  where 
he  was  to  await  the  arrival  of  his  fellow  Com 
missioner,  before  proceeding  to  visit  the  hostile 
tribes. 

In  this  expedition  he  was  accompanied  by 
the  writer  of  the  following  pages,  who  was 
glad  of  the  opportunity  to  visit  strange  people 
and  strange  scenes,  of  which  he  had  heard 
only  wild  and  exaggerated  rumors. 

There  was  another  volunteer,  Mr.  D.,  a 
Scotch  gentleman,  travelling  for  information 
and  amusement,  and  a  son  of  the  Commis 
sioner,  who  acted  as  Secretary  to  the  expedi 
tion. 

On  our  way  we  stopped  a  few  days  at  Wash 
ington,  where  Mr.  E.  expected  to  receive  from 
the  War  Department  full  instructions  as  to 
the  objects  of  his  mission. 

From  Washington  we  continued  our  route 


Introductory  Accoitnt.  5 

by  stage-coach  and  steam-boat,  stopping  at 
several  cities  on  our  way  until  \ve  reached  St. 
Louis,  which  town  had  then  about  eight 
thousand  inhabitants,  who  seemed  to  be  a 
mixture  of  Americans  and  Frenchmen. 

It  was  the  head-quarters  of  the  great  fur 
trade  of  this  country,  and  was  the  rendezvous 
of  Indian  traders,  trappers,  and  other  cam 
paigners  of  the  prairie. 

A  few  Indians  straggled  through  the  streets  ; 
but  they  were  all  in  one  way  or  another  con 
nected  with  the  Fur  Company,  whose  ramifica 
tions  extended  across  the  prairies  and  over  the 
mountains  until  they  reached  the  Pacific  Ocean. 

We  remained  several  days  in  St.  Louis  to 
get  a  proper  outfit,  and  to  obtain  such  informa 
tion  as  might  be  useful  to  us  in  our  intended 
expedition. 

In  this  we  were  much  aided  by  General 
William  Clarke,  the  veteran  pioneer,  who,  in 
company  with  General  Lewis,  had  led  the  first 
exploring  expedition  across  the  continent  to 
the  mouth  of  the  Columbia  River  in  1804. 

He  had  much  to  tell  of  the  wild  regions  into 
which  we  were  to  penetrate,  and  of  the  more 
wild  people  whom  we  were  to  encounter  there. 


6  Introductory  Account. 

He  advised  us  to  lay  in  a  good  stock  of  pro 
visions,  and  by  no  means  to  rely  on  hunting 
for  a  supply  of  food. 

The  General  was  a  fine  soldierlike-looking 
man,  tall  and  thin.  His  hair  was  white ;  but 
he  seemed  to  be  as  hardy  and  vigorous  as 
ever,  and  spoke  of  the  exposures  and  hard 
ships  of  his  campaign  with  a  zest  which  showed 
that  the  spirit  of  the  old  explorer  was  un- 
quenched,  and  that  he  still  hankered  after 
fresh  adventures  in  the  saddle  and  on  the 
prairie. 

While  at  St.  Louis  we  hired  two  servants  to 
accompany  us. 

One  was  a  half-breed,  a  cross  between  the 
Creek  Indian  and  the  negro.  He  was  named 
Mordecai,  and  inherited  the  lazy  propensities 
of  both  races,  but  entertained  a  high  opinion 
of  his  own  merits. 

The  other  was  a  tall,  awkward  boy,  with  a 
low  forehead  and  a  dull,  sleepy  countenance, 
nearly  hidden  by  elf  locks.  His  name  was 
Joseph.  He  spoke  a  mixture  of  French  and 
English,  and  would  fain  have  passed  for  a  full- 
blooded  white  ;  but  his  mother  was  a  thorough 
squaw,  wife  to  a  little  Creole  Frenchman  named 


Introductory  Account.  7 

Antoine  or  Tonish,  who  had  accompanied  the 
Commissioner  on  the  preceding  year  in  his  ex 
pedition  to  the  Arkansas  frontier. 

Joseph  inherited  from  his  father  a  gascon 
ading  spirit  and  an  inveterate  habit  of  lying. 

Like  him,  he  was  a  first-rate  horseman,  but 
being  a  hard  rider  he  knocked  up  every  horse 
entrusted  to  him. 

To  add  to  his  hereditary  qualities,  he  in 
herited  from  his  mother  an  inveterate  habit  of 
stealing. 

Though  a  downright  coward,  he  boasted 
much  of  his  valor,  and  even  told  me  in  confi 
dence  that  he  "  could  lick  his  daddy." 

Before  leaving  St.  Louis  we  purchased  two 
dearborn  wagons,  two  mules  and  several 
horses,  also  tents,  flour,  sugar,  hams,  and  va 
rious  other  articles  necessary  for  the  camp  life 
which  we  expected  to  lead,  as  the  whole  coun 
try  between  St.  Louis  and  Fort  Leavenworth 
was  very  sparsely  inhabited.  One  or  two 
towns,  containing  a  few  hundred  inhabitants, — 
log  cabins  scattered  here  and  there,  at  long 
distances,  either  in  the  woods  or  on  the  edge 
of  a  prairie,  were  all  the  accommodations  to  be 
had  by  wayfarers. 


Introductory  Account. 

We  were  all  to  travel  on  horseback  except 
Joe  and  Mordecai,  who  were  to  drive  the 
wagons. 

With  a  wise  forethought  the  Commissioner, 
being  aware  of  the  obstinate  disposition  of 
Joe,  appointed  him  to  drive  the  wagon  drawn 
by  two  mules,  and  many  a  stubborn  contest 
took  place  between  him  and  his  fellow  brutes, 
in  which  he  was  sure  to  carry  the  day. 


CHAPTER    I. 
Journey  to  Independence. 

EARLY  in  an  afternoon  in  July,  1833,  we 
commenced  our  journey  towards  Fort 
Leavenworth,  where  we  expected  to  get  an 
outfit  for  our  expedition  ;  and  troops  for  an 
escort  and  protection  against  any  hostile  In 
dians  whom  we  might  encounter. 

Our  first  stopping-place  after  leaving  St. 
Louis  was  to  be  at  St.  Charles,  a  small  village 
at  the  junction  of  the  Missouri  and  Mississippi 
rivers. 

Mr.  R.,  the  Agent  of  the  Osage  Indians, 
accompanied  us  as  far  as  Fort  Leavenworth. 

He  had  lived  many  years  in  the  wilds  of  Ar 
kansas,  and  was  a  thorough  backwoodsman 
who  knew  every  hole  and  corner  of  his  own 
State,  and  looked  upon  every  settler  within  a 
hundred  miles  of  his  own  dwelling  as  a  near 
neighbor. 

He  had  much  to  tell  of  frontier  life  ;  and  oc- 
9 


io  Journey  to  Independence. 

casionally  varied  his  topics  by  singing  Metho 
dist  hymns. 

He  rode  a  small  pony,  with  a  stiff  mane  and 
legs  so  short,  that  when  the  long  legs  of  the 
rider  dangled  down  on  each  side,  they  were 
so  near  the  ground,  that  it  was  a  matter  of 
doubt  which  set  of  legs  did  the  travelling. 

Sometimes  we  found  lodgings  for  the  night 
in  the  cabin  of  a  backwoodsman,  sure  of  a  wel 
come  from  its  inmates,  who  were  glad  to  hear 
news  of  the  busy  world  of  which  they  knew  so 
little. 

On  these  occasions,  as  the  cabin  often  con 
tained  but  a  single  room,  we  were  somewhat 
cramped  for  space. 

However,  they  always  contrived  to  find  a 
place  for  us ;  and  we,  being  weary  and  travel- 
worn,  packed  in  as  well  as  we  could — slept 
soundly  and  forgot  discomfort. 

Sometimes  we  encamped  in  the  woods,  se 
lecting  the  borders  of  a  brook  so  as  to  have 
water  for  cooking  and  for  our  horses. 

On  one  of  these  occasions  we  broke  up  our 
camp  early  in  the  morning,  intending  to  break 
fast  at  the  cabin  of  a  friend  of  Mr.  R.,  who 
resided  a  few  miles  farther  on. 


Journey  to  Independence.  1 1 

Our  arrival  there  took  the  family  by  surprise, 
and  the  settler's  wife  apologized  for  the  state 
of  her  larder. 

She  had  nothing  but  venison  and  wild  turkey 
to  offer  us. 

We  relieved  her  mind  by  saying  that  we 
wished  for  nothing  better. 

Our  coffee  was  served  without  milk. 

She  again  apologized. 

"  She  did  not  know  what  ailed  her  cow  ;  but 
the  cretur  had  come  home  that  morning  all 
dried  up.  Not  a  cupful  of  milk  !  " 

With  some  twinges  of  conscience,  we  told 
her  that  we  could  do  without  milk. 

But  we  omitted  to  mention  that  Joe  and 
Mordecai  had  met  the  cow  on  her  way  home 
that  morning,  and  had  milked  her. 

The  worthy  Commissioner  at  parting  be 
stowed,  by  way  of  conscience  money,  an  un 
usually  large  gratuity,  which  was  gratefully 
accepted. 

Our  last  halting-place  before  entering  the 
Indian  Territory  was  at  Independence,  a  small 
town  on  the  Missouri  River,  containing  about 
twenty  or  thirty  houses,  a  court-house,  and  a 
nondescript  population  of  trappers,  Indian 
traders,  and  frontiersmen. 


i  2  Journey  to  Independence. 

It  seemed  to  be  the  starting-place  for  all 
kinds  of  adventurers,  who  intended  to  cut 
adrift  from  civilization,  and  to  seek  their  for 
tunes  upon  the  prairies  and  in  the  mountains 
beyond  them. 

While  lingering  here  we  fell  in  with  an 
officer  from  Fort  Leavenworth,  who  with  a  file 
of  soldiers  had  brought  in  two  rough-looking 
fellows  captured  in  attempting  to  smuggle 
whiskey  into  the  Indian  territory. 

The  prisoners  having  been  tried,  and,  in  the 
face  of  clear  evidence  of  their  guilt,  acquitted, 
by  a  jury  of  sympathizing  frontiersmen,  the 
officer,  having  nothing  further  to  do,  and  learn 
ing  that  we  were  on  our  way  to  Fort  Leaven- 
worth,  offered  to  accompany  us  and  be  our 
guide. 

We  accepted  his  offer,  and  afterwards  found 
him  to  be  a  very  pleasant,  genial  fellow,  who, 
being  a  dead  shot  with  the  pistol,  was  much 
respected  on  the  frontier. 

On  the  following  day  our  horses  were  sad 
dled,  the  mules  were  harnessed  to  the  wagons, 
Joe  cracked  his  whip,  and  in  full  expectation 
of  we  knew  not  what  we  set  out  for  the  region 
of  adventure  and  romance. 


CHAPTER    II. 

Rangers — Kansas  River — Shaivnees — Delawares 
— Leavenworth. 

IT  was  late  in  the  afternoon  when  we  crossed 
the  Indian  border,  and  issued  from  the 
forest  upon  a  beautiful  prairie,  spreading  out 
as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach,  an  undulating 
carpet  of  green  enamelled  with  flowers,  and 
lighted  up  by  the  rays  of  the  setting  sun. 

Occasionally  a  grouse,  frightened  at  our  ap 
proach,  would  bustle  up  from  among  the  high 
grass  and  fly  whirring  over  the  tops  of  the  low 
billow-like  hills. 

We  were  now  on  the  look-out  for  Indians,  but 
not  for  hostile  ones,  for  we  were  on  the  "  Res 
ervation  Lands  "  to  which  the  United  States 
Government  had  a  few  years  before  removed 
some  of  the  tribes  from  the  Eastern  States. 

These  were  friendly,  and  far  different  from 

the  wild  tribes  whom   we  were  afterwards  to 

encounter,  and  who,  claiming  these  lands  as 

their  own,  looked  upon  the  Indians  who  occu- 

13 


1 4  Rangers. 

pied  them,  and  the  white  men  who  had  placed 
them  there,  as  bitter  enemies. 

We  had  ridden,  or  rather  waded,  several 
miles  through  high  green  grass,  when  an  ex 
clamation  from  our  guide  attracted  our  atten 
tion  to  a  mounted  Indian,  who  was  watching 
us  from  a  distant  hill. 

He  proved  to  be  a  Shawnee,  one  of  that 
tribe  who,  under  their  great  chief,  Tecumseh, 
had  made  such  a  desperate  attack  upon  the 
whites,  near  the  banks  of  the  Wabash,  in  1811, 
when  the  Indians  were  defeated  and  their 
power  broken. 

This  tribe  was  one  of  those  which  had  been 
removed  to  a  "  Reservation  "  about  ten  miles 
beyond  the  western  line  of  the  State  of  Mis 
souri. 

This  Indian  was  young,  but  hard  drinking, 
that  besetting  sin  of  his  race,  had  left  its  mark 
upon  his  features. 

His  hair  was  thick  and  matted,  and  hung 
down  to  his  eyes.  His  deer-skin  leggins  were 
ornamented  with  yellow  binding.  Over  a  dirty 
calico  shirt  he  wore  a  long  surtout  coat,  with 
immense  brass  buttons,  and  upon  his  shoulder 
he  carried  a  long  rifle. 


Rangers.  1 5 

He  saluted  us  with  the  usual  guttural  salu 
tation  of  "  Ugh,"  and  turning  round,  rode 
ahead  of  our  party,  drumming  his  heels  into 
the  ribs  of  his  horse,  who  wriggled  through  the 
grass  with  a  rickety  gait,  which  would  have 
wearied  any  other  than  an  Indian. 

Shortly  afterwards  another  of  the  same  tribe 
came  galloping  up.  He  was  a  short,  squat  fel 
low,  dressed  in  a  dirty  calico  shirt  and  a  ragged 
pair  of  pantaloons. 

He  wore  an  old  battered  hat,  and  carried  a 
long  rifle,  the  wiping-rod  of  which  he  occasion 
ally  applied  to  the  sides  of  his  horse. 

He  eyed  us  with  some  curiosity,  but  without 
speaking,  and  then  joined  the  other  Indian. 

Together  they  rode  off,  and  we  lost  sight  of 
them  behind  one  of  the  low  hills  of  the  prairie. 

It  was  now  late  in  the  afternoon  ;  the  sun 
had  set,  and  the  creaking  of  the  insects  warned 
us  of  the  approach  of  night,  and  that  we  must 
push  on  if  we  expected  to  reach  our  quarters 
before  dark. 

This  we  did,  and  half  an  hour's  ride  brought 
us  to  our  place  of  destination,  which  was  a  log 
cabin  built  in  the  edge  of  the  woods. 

It  was  inhabited  by  a  blacksmith,  paid  by 


1 6  Rangers. 

the  United  States  to  keep  in  repair  the  guns 
which  formed  part  of  the  annuity  paid  by  the 
Government  to  the  Shawnee  Indians. 

The  dwelling  consisted  of  two  cabins  built 
of  rough,  unbarked  logs  and  joined  together  by 
a  covered  shed. 

One  or  two  wagons  stood  near  it,  and  at  a 
short  distance  was  a  field  of  Indian  corn. 

Two  horses,  two  cows,  a  litter  of  pigs,  a  dog, 
and  a  mule  constituted  the  live  stock  of  the 
establishment. 

We  were  very  cordially  received  by  a  frank, 
good-natured  man,  who  proved  to  be  the  owner 
of  the  place,  and  who  was  particularly  deferen 
tial  to  the  officer  who  guided  us,  and  to  the 
Commissioner,  whom  he  regarded  as  but  little 
inferior  to  the  President  of  the  United  States. 

Early  on  the  following  morning  we  took 
leave  of  our  host  and  continued  our  journey. 

Our  guide  took  the  lead  along  a  trail  which 
ran  through  a  dark  and  dreary  forest.  Now 
and  then  a  raven  would  flap  slowly  among 
the  trees  over  our  heads,  saluting  us  with  his 
sepulchral  croak,  or  a  woodpecker  would  dart 
screaming  from  tree  trunk  to  tree  trunk. 

There  were   no  song  birds  to    be   seen  or 


Rangers.  1 7 

heard;  and  the  only  .sounds  to  break  the 
silence  were  the  snapping  of  twigs  beneath  our 
wagon-wheels,  and  the  shouts  of  Joe,  who 
cracked  his  whip  and  yelled  at  his  mules  loud 
enough  to  have  been  heard  a  mile. 

In  about  half  an  hour  we  emerged  from  the 
woods  upon  another  prairie. 

A  shout  from  our  guide  announced  some 
thing  unusual. 

At  the  same  time  he  struck  spurs  into  his 
horse,  and  galloped  off  through  the  long 
grass. 

At  a  short  distance  a  troop  of  horsemen  was 
trailing  across  the  prairie. 

They  were  a  company  of  United  States  Ran 
gers  on  their  return  from  escorting  a  party  of 
Santa  Fe"  traders  across  a  portion  of  the  peril 
ous  route  which  they  are  obliged  to  take  in 
carrying  on  their  traffic  with  that  inland 
mart. 

They  had  been  absent  from  the  garrison  a 
month,  travelling  through  a  territory  full  of 
lurking  foes. 

There  was  little  to  show  that  they  were 
United  States  troops. 

Hard  service  and  exposure  had  made  great 


1 8  Rangers. 

havoc  with  their  clothing  and  head-gear,  and 
old  fur  caps,  blankets,  and  articles  of  Indian 
apparel  had  taken  the  place  of  the  garments 
with  which  they  had  set  out,  and  makeshifts 
of  the  most  dilapidated  and  unusual  character 
in  the  way  of  coverings  cropped  out  in  every 
direction. 

Companionships  are  readily  formed  in  the 
wilderness,  and  we  were  greeted  by  this  tatter 
demalion  band  as  comrades,  and  were  soon 
hand  and  glove  with  all  of  them. 

We  supplied  them  with  news  from  the  great 
^world  which  we  had  left ;  and  they  in  return 
gave  us  glimpses  of  the  unknown  regions  to 
which  we  were  going. 

We  spent  half  an  hour  with  them,  then  push 
ing  on,  we  reached  the  Kansas  River. 

This  is  one  of  the  largest  tributaries  of  the 
Missouri,  being  from  a  quarter  to  half  a  mile 
wide,  and  varying  in  depth  from  one  to  thirty 
feet. 

At  the  shore  we  found  a  large  scow,  which 
was  used  as  a  ferry-boat.  Its  owner,  a  tall, 
thin  Delaware  Indian,  was  seated  in  the  stern 
smoking  a  pipe  and  waiting  for  passengers. 

We  intimated  to  him  by  signs  that  we  wished 


Rangers.  1 9 

to  be  ferried  across,  and  in  reply  he  nodded,  rose 
from  his  seat,  and  stepping  ashore,  made  signs 
for  us  to  lead  our  horses  on  board,  and  quietly 
looked  on  until  they  were  embarked. 

He  did  not  offer  to  assist  us,  nor  did  our 
guide  appear  to  expect  it. 

When  we  were  embarked  he  loosed  the  fast 
ening,  and  thrusting  a  long  pole  into  the 
sandy  bottom  of  the  river,  whirled  the  ticklish 
vessel  far  out  into  the  current. 

The  water  was  not  deep,  and  the  scow  soon 
ran  upon  the  sand  of  the  opposite  shore. 

Having  received  his  fare,  the  Indian  strolled 
off,  leaving  the  party  to  land  or  stay  on  board, 
as  they  might  choose. 

On  the  bank  of  the  river  was  a  log  cabin  in 
habited  by  the  blacksmith  of  the  Delawares. 
Into  this  we  made  our  way. 

We  had  scarcely  reached  it  when  the  woods 
on  the  opposite  shore  began  to  ring  with  the 
shouts  of  the  Rangers,  on  their  way  to  ford 
the  river,  which  we  had  just  crossed  in  a  more 
comfortable  manner. 

The  troop  slowly  wound  its  way  among  the 
tall  trees  until  they  reached  the  shore. 

There  was  a  pause.     Then  a  heavy  splash 


2O  Rangers. 

announced  that  the  foremost  rider  had  taken 
to  the  water. 

The  rest  paused  to  watch  his  progress  as  he 
struggled  against  the  current,  then  one  after 
another  dashed  in,  until  a  long  line  of  snorting 
horses  and  whooping  riders  extended  from 
shore  to  shore. 

Just  then,  a  dark  thunder  cloud,  which  had 
been  hanging  over  the  woods,  opened  its 
flood-gates  upon  the  band,  thoroughly  drench 
ing  all  who  had  escaped  a  wetting  in  the  river. 

The  rainfall  lasted  about  an  hour,  then  a 
few  rays  of  sunshine  shot  from  behind  the 
cloud,  playing  upon  the  distant  tree-tops,  and 
finally  the  ragged  masses  rolling  together 
floated  off  until  they  disappeared  below  the 
horizon. 

An  hour's  ride  brought  us  to  a  Shawnee  vil 
lage,  which  consisted  of  about  a  dozen  cabins 
on  the  top  of  a  hill  overlooking  the  prairie. 

The  barking  of  dogs  announced  our  ap 
proach,  and  brought  out  the  inhabitants;  two 
of  whom  came  forward  to  meet  us.  The 
elder  and  apparently  more  important  of  the 
two  wore  a  broad-brimmed  black  hat,  orna 
mented  with  bands  of  tin. 


Rangers.  2 1 

His  calico  shirt  and  blue-cloth  pantaloons 
were  ornamented  with  yellow  ribbons ;  and  a 
huge  pair  of  iron-rimmed  spectacles,  through 
which  he  glared  at  us,  showed  that  he  at  least 
had  taken  some  steps  towards  civilization. 

His  companion  retained  more  of  the  Indian 
in  his  dress  and  appearance. 

His  head  was  shaved,  with  the  exception  of 
a  long  scalp  lock,  and  his  face  was  profusely 
smeared  with  vermilion.  A  calico  shirt  was 
the  only  article  of  civilized  manufacture  about 
him.  His  leggins  and  moccasins  were  of  deer 
skin. 

We  endeavored  to  learn  from  them  the  most 
direct  route  to  Fort  Leavenworth,  but  as  we 
could  not  understand  each  other,  we  shook 
hands  with  them  and  resumed  our  journey. 

A  village  of  the  Delawares  was  a  few  miles 
off,  and  to  this  we  directed  our  course. 

When  we  reached  it  a  loud  barking  of  dogs 
announced  our  arrival  to  the  Indians,  who 
flocked  from  their  cabins  to  ascertain  the  cause 
of  the  canine  uproar. 

From  them  we  learned  the  route  which  we 
were  to  take,  and,  following  their  instructions, 
we  kept  on  through  the  woods,  until  we  came 


2  2  Rangers. 

to  a  prairie  on  which  was  strongly  marked  the 
broad  trail  which  led  to  Leavenworth. 

The  rain  cloud  of  the  morning  had  left  noth 
ing  but  beauty  behind  it.  A  cool  freshness 
exhaled  from  the  tall  grass  glittering  with  its 
water  beads  ;  the  parched  foliage  seemed  to 
have  become  fresh  and  green,  and  the  drooping 
flowers  again  raised  their  heads. 

In  the  spring  of  the  year,  these  prairies 
were  covered  with  a  profusion  of  pale  pink 
flowers,  rearing  their  delicate  stalks  among  the 
rough  blades  of  the  wild  grass.  Too  fragile  to 
withstand  the  scorching  heat  of  summer,  they 
had  disappeared,  and  others  had  succeeded 
them. 

There  was  a  gorgeous  richness  in  the  summer 
apparel  of  the  prairie.  Flowers  of  red,  yellow, 
purple,  and  crimson  were  scattered  in  profusion 
among  the  grass,  sometimes  growing  singly, 
and  at  times  spreading  out  in  beds  of  several 
acres  in  extent. 

There  is  a  strange  sensation  of  pleasure  in 
traversing  these  vast  and  boundless  wastes. 

Sometimes  we  came  upon  the  crest  of  a 
wave-like  hill,  which  commanded  a  wide  view 
of  the  green  prairies  beyond  it.  Here  and 


Rangers.  23 

there  small  clumps  of  trees  were  resting,  like 
islands  upon  the  bosom  of  a  sea.  Far  off,  a 
long  line  of  trees,  winding  across  the  country, 
marked  the  course  of  some  hidden  stream.  But 
a  few  steps  of  our  horses  carried  us  from  the 
point  of  look-out.  Passing  down  the  hill,  we 
splashed  through  the  water  at  the  bottom,  tore 
a  path  through  the  grass  and  weeds,  which  fre 
quently  rose,  in  these  hollows,  to  the  height  of 
six  or  seven  feet,  and  in  a  few  minutes  stood 
upon  the  crest  of  a  hill  similar  to  the  first. 
This  was  again  cut  off  as  we  descended 
into  another  trough  which  divided  the  long, 
surge-like  swells  of  land. 

Such  is  the  prairie — hill  follows  hill,  and 
hollow  succeeds  hollow,  with  the  same  regu 
larity  as  the  sweeping  billows  of  the  ocean. 
Occasionally  a  broken  bluff  rears  its  solitary 
head  high  up,  overlooking  the  country.  Upon 
the  top  of  these  we  frequently  saw  an  Indian, 
standing  in  bold  relief  against  the  sky,  or  seated 
upon  some  pleasant  spot  on  its  summit,  and 
basking  in  the  sunshine,  with  that  air  of  lazy 
enjoyment  which  characterizes  the  race. 

We  had  been  travelling  several  hours  through 
scenery  like  this,  when  a  loud  cry  from  our 


24  Rangers. 

guide  announced  that  we  had  come  in  sight  of 
the  cantonment. 

There  was  a  snowy  speck  resting  upon  the 
distant  green  ;  behind  it  rose  a  forest  of  lofty 
trees  which  shadowed  the  Missouri.  This  was 
Leavenworth.  But  still,  many  miles  inter 
vened  ;  for  the  prairie  is  like  the  ocean — the 
view  is  wide  and  boundless ;  and  it  requires  an 
eye  trained  by  long  residence  in  these  regions, 
to  measure  accurately  the  distance  of  objects. 

It  was  mid-day  when  we  first  caught  sight  of 
Leavenworth,  but  it  was  near  sunset  before  we 
arrived  there.  About  a  dozen  white-washed 
cottage-looking  houses  compose  the  barracks 
and  the  abodes  of  the  officers.  They  are  so 
arranged  as  to  form  the  three  sides  of  a  hollow 
square;  the  fourth  is  open,  and  looks  out  over 
a  wide  prairie.  It  is  a  rural-looking  spot — a 
speck  of  civilization  in  the  heart  of  a  wilder 
ness.  There  was  nothing  here  to  tell  of  war ; 
and  but  for  the  sentinels  upon  their  posts,  the 
lounging  forms  of  the  soldiers,  or  the  occa 
sional  roll  of  the  drum,  as  the  signal  for  the 
performance  of  some  military  duty,  we  would 
not  have  known  that  we  were  in  the  heart 
of  a  military  station. 


Rangers.  2  5 

The  garrison  at  Fort  Leavenworth  consisted 
of  about  120  men — sufficient  to  keep  in  check 
the  wild  tribes  who  claimed  the  ownership  of 
the  whole  country  from  the  Platte  to  the  Ar 
kansas  River,  and  now  and  then  made  an  on 
slaught  on  the  whites  who  lived  near  the  fron 
tier  line. 

The  fort  was  commanded  by  Major  R.,  by 
whom  and  his  young  officers  we  were  very  cor 
dially  received. 

The  Rangers,  whom  we  had  passed  on  our 
way,  had  their  head-quarters  there  ;  and  we  were 
able  to  announce  to  their  friends  that  they 
were  but  a  few  hours  behind  us. 

The  Rangers  were  made  up  principally  of 
volunteers  who  had  offered  their  services  to  the 
Government  at  the  time  of  the  Black  Hawk 
war.  They  were  hardy,  weather-beaten  fel 
lows,  accustomed  to  Western  life,  ready  with 
the  rifle,  and  first-rate  Indian  fighters. 

We  were  quartered  in  the  same  building 
with  the  family  of  the  officer  who  led  the  band 
which  we  had  passed  at  the  Kansas  River,  and 
we  afterwards  found  him  to  be  a  genial,  frank- 
hearted  soldier,  full  of  anecdotes  of  his  adven 
tures  in  Indian  warfare  and  in  the  hunt. 


CHAPTER  III. 

The  Sac  Indian. 

ON  the  following  day  we  strolled  through 
the  forest  which  skirted  the  fort  and 
overhung  the  Missouri. 

At  times  flocks  of  gaudy  little  paroquets 
darted  swiftly  through  the  trees,  screaming  as 
they  went.  There  were  plenty  of  bright-col 
ored  woodpeckers  flitting  from  tree  to  tree  ; 
and  here  and  there  a  sedate  old  bird  of  the 
same  species  busily  engaged  in  examining  the 
interior  of  a  decayed  trunk. 

In  another  direction  we  spied  a  raven  sitting 
upon  the  limb  of  a  dead  tree,  apparently 
brooding  over  the  mistakes  of  his  past  life,  and 
wondering  where  he  should  get  his  next  meal. 

On  our  return,  as  we  passed  an  opening  be 
tween  the  houses,  which  gave  us  a  view  of  the 
green  in  front,  we  caught  sight  of  a  single 
Indian,  standing  beneath  a  tree. 

Just  then  a  little  red-nosed  soldier  came  up. 
26 


The  Sac  Indian.  2  7 

He  informed  us  that  the  Indian  was  a  Sac,  one 
of  those  who  had  fought  against  the  whites 
under  Black  Hawk.  As  he  mentioned  this,  he 
took  the  opportunity  of  uncorking  his  wrath, 
and  letting  off  the  superfluous  foam,  in  a  volley 
of  oaths  and  anathemas  against  the  whole  In 
dian  race  in  general,  and  this  individual  in  par 
ticular.  He  threw  out  dark  hints  of  what  he 
had  himself  done  in  the  war,  and  what  he  would 
now  do,  if  the  Major  would  only  permit  it. 

At  the  time  we  looked  upon  him  with  con 
siderable  awe  ;  but  we  afterwards  learned  that 
there  was  little  to  be  apprehended  from  him, 
and  that  he  was  a  character  notorious  for  boil 
ing  over  in  the  excess  of  his  wrath,  especially 
in  time  of  peace  ;  but  beyond  this  was  distin 
guished  for  nothing,  except  a  strong  attach 
ment  to  liquors  of  all  descriptions. 

We  soon  left  him,  and  crossed  the  green  to 
where  the  Indian  was  standing. 

I  had  formed  but  a  poor  opinion  of  the  race 
from  those  whom  I  had  already  seen,  but  this 
was  a  princely  fellow.  He  stood  unmoved  as 
we  came  up,  viewing  us  with  a  calm,  cold,  but 
unwavering  gaze.  A  large  blanket,  here  and 
there  streaked  with  vermilion,  and  ornamented 


28  The  Sac  Indian. 

with  hawks'  bells,  was  so  disposed  around  his 
folded  arms  that  it  left  bare  his  finely-formed 
shoulder  and  half  of  his  high,  sinewy  chest. 

A  bright  steel-headed  tomahawk  peeped 
from  beneath  its  folds,  and  a  quiver  of  arrows 
hung  at  his  back.  His  legs  were  cased  in  leg- 
gins  of  dressed  deer-skin,  with  the  edges  cut 
into  a  rough  fringe.  He  wore  a  pair  of  mocca 
sins  of  dressed  buffalo  hide.  The  top  of  his 
head  was  closely  shaven,  and  covered  with  ver 
milion,  but  his  face  was  free  from  any  coloring 
whatever,  with  the  exception  of  a  ring  of  black 
paint,  which  was  carefully  drawn  around  each 
eye. 

As  we  approached,  he  drew  himself  up,  and 
threw  his  head  slightly  backward  with  an  air  of 
haughtiness  which  well  became  his  high,  stern 
features. 

We  looked  at  him  with  some  curiosity,  for 
he  was  the  first  whom  we  had  seen  of  that 
tribe  of  Indians  which  but  a  year  before  had 
carried  on  a  bitter  warfare  on  our  frontier. 

We  could  not  help  a  feeling  of  sorrow,  as  we 
saw  him  standing  there,  so  proud  and  haughty 
and  so  powerless,  for  his  tribe  was  broken  up  and 
scattered,  their  power  gone,  the  bones  of  their 


The  Sac  Indian.  29 

bravest  warriors  whitening  on  the  prairies,  and 
their  chief  a  captive  in  the  hands  of  his  ene 
mies. 

For  some  time  he  stood  in  front  of  us,  re 
turning  gaze  for  gaze,  and  for  a  moment  a 
smile  played  over  his  features  ;  then  drawing 
up  his  tinkling  blanket  closely  around  him  he 
walked  off. 

We  lost  sight  of  him  behind  one  of  the  build 
ings,  as  he  directed  his  course  towards  the 
forest. 

We  turned  towards  our  quarters,  but  the 
roll  of  the  dinner  drum  sounded  across  the 
green,  and  changing  our  course  we  obeyed  its 
summons. 


CHAPTER  IV. 
A  Band  of  Kansas. 

FORT  LEAVENWORTH  seemed  to  be 
a  place  of  rendezvous  for  parties  of  In 
dians  from  the  neighboring  tribes. 

They  would  make  their  appearance  quite 
unexpectedly,  hang  around  the  dwellings  and 
the  sutler's  store  for  a  day  or  two,  and  then 
disappear  as  suddenly  as  they  came. 

One  morning  we  were  sitting  in  our  quar 
ters,  when  a  loud  whoop  from  without  informed 
us  that  one  of  these  bands  had  arrived,  and 
we  went  out  to  see  who  they  were  and  whence 
they  came. 

They  proved  to  be  a  party  of  Kansas  from 
a  village  situated  about  one  hundred  miles 
beyond  the  line  of  the  Indian  boundary. 

They  were  encamped  at  a  little  distance, 
upon  a  plot  of  ground  in  front  of  our  quarters. 
There  were  about  forty  of  them  crowded  to 
gether  around  a  fire,  which  they  had  built 
under  a  large  oak  tree. 
30 


A  Band  of  Kansas.  3 1 

Among  them  were  many  fine-looking  men  ; 
for  with  the  exception  of  the  Osage  Indians 
of  the  Arkansas,  they  are  considered  the  most 
noble  of  the  tribes  which  yet  roam  in  the  neigh 
borhood  of  the  settlements.  Hitherto,  from 
their  association  with  the  whites  they  have  de 
rived  benefit  alone.  Too  far  from  them  to 
imbibe  their  vices,  they  have  yet  been  able  to 
hold  sufficient  intercourse  to  promote  their 
own  interest.  They  have  thrown  aside  their 
buffalo-skin  robes  and  adopted  the  blanket. 

They  have  become  skilful  in  the  use  of  the 
rifle,  and  except  in  hunting  the  buffalo,  make 
no  use  of  bows  and  arrows. 

When  we  came  up,  two  or  three  were  en 
gaged  in  collecting  fuel ;  the  rest  were  loun 
ging  around,  some  leaning  listlessly  upon  their 
spears,  others  resting  against  the  tree  ;  and  five 
or  six  were  lying  upon  their  backs,  with  their 
feet  to  the  fire,  drumming  with  their  fists  upon 
their  breasts,  and  chanting  out  a  sleepy  ditty, 
the  chorus  of  which  was  a  loud  yell  from  every 
throat  in  the  band. 

Their  heads  were  shaven,  with  the  exception 
of  the  scalp  lock,  and  their  breasts  were  left 
exposed  by  their  blankets. 


32  A  Band  of  Kansas. 

There  was  a  little  squaw  in  the  company ; 
and  if  I  might  judge  from  the  foolish  look  of 
several  of  the  men,  and  the  loud  laugh  of  the 
rest,  gifted  with  a  peppery  tongue. 

There  was  a  fund  of  humor  in  her  glittering 
eye,  which  gave  a  zest  to  her  remarks,  causing 
them  to  be  more  relished  by  the  loungers,  than 
by  the  unfortunate  scape-goat  at  whose  expense 
they  were  uttered. 

We  had  not  stood  there  long,  before  we  came 
in  for  our  share  of  her  criticisms.  Fortunately 
we  could  not  understand  them ;  but  they  were 
received  with  loud  bursts  of  merriment  from 
the  graceless  troop  around  her,  with  the  excep 
tion  of  one  or  two  of  the  older  Indians,  whose 
grave  faces  and  wrinkled  brows  wore  a  dis 
couraging  sternness. 

In  vain  the  little  woman  endeavored  to  coax 
a  smile  from  them. 

At  last  she  was  interrupted  by  an  old  Indian 
who  was  sitting  by  the  fire,  with  one  elbow 
resting  upon  his  knee,  and  his  hand  support 
ing  his  chin,  apparently  in  deep  thought. 

He  had  continued  thus,  until  a  loud  burst  of 
laughter  which  followed  some  remark  of  the 
squaw,  attracted  his  attention. 


A  Band  of  Kansas.  33 

He  looked  around,  with  a  bewildered  air  ; 
then  starting  to  his  feet,  strode  over  to  the 
oratrix,  and  muttered  a  few  low  but  stern 
words  in  her  ear.  Her  face  lengthened,  and 
her  mouth  closed. 

I  presume  that  he  had  given  her  a  lecture  in 
good  manners,  for  the  others  also  followed  her 
example. 

The  old  man  then  stepped  up  and  shook 
hands  with  us,  after  which  he  pressed  his  own 
hand  against  his  bosom,  and  withdrew  to  his 
former  seat  by  the  fire. 

From  that  time  the  squaw  was  silent,  and 
turned  her  attention  to  a  number  of  potatoes 
which  were  roasting  in  the  fire. 

Parties  of  the  Indians,  wrapping  their  blank 
ets  around  them,  sauntered  towards  the  quarters 
of  the  officers ;  others  strolled  off  to  the  banks 
of  the  Missouri ;  and  five  or  six  stretched  them 
selves  upon  the  grass,  and  joined  in  the  chorus 
of  those  who  were  already  engaged  in  chant 
ing.  A  few  of  the  others  then  drew  together, 
and  commenced  an  earnest  debate,  in  which 
they  were  afterwards  joined  by  the  Indian 
who  had  interfered  in  our  behalf. 

The  little  woman,   too,   seemed  to  take  a 


34  A  Band  of  Kansas. 

strong  interest  in  the  subject,  for  she  suffered 
a  large  potato  to  roast  to  a  coal  without  no 
ticing  it. 

We  afterwards  learned  that  this  party  had 
been  for  two  days  without  provisions,  and 
were  appointing  a  committee  from  their  band, 
who  should  commence  foraging  for  a  supply 
among  the  soldiers. 

They  hung  round  the  garrison  for  several 
days,  and  passed  their  time  in  lounging  about 
the  quarters  of  the  soldiers,  or  strolling  through 
the  woods  ;  peering  into  the  windows  of  the 
houses,  or  now  and  then  stealing  through  an 
open  door  into  the  interior. 

Their  step  is  so  hushed  and  noiseless,  that 
there  is  nothing  to  warn  one  of  their  approach, 
and  I  have  frequently  been  surprised  to  find 
several  of  these  fellows  quietly  seated  around 
me  in  my  room,  and  all  apparently  very  much 
at  their  ease.  With  all  this,  there  was  an  un- 
obtrusiveness  in  their  manners,  which  soon 
reconciled  us  to  their  presence,  and  were  it  not 
for  their  eyes,  which  were  ever  fastened  on 
one's  face,  creating  a  feeling  of  restless  un 
easiness,  there  was  little  else  in  their  company 
to  annoy. 


A  Band  of  Kansas.  35 

It  was  near  the  close  of  a  warm  afternoon, 
and  I  had  thrown  myself  upon  a  bear-skin  on 
the  floor,  with  that  feeling  of  listless  languor 
which  is  apt  to  pervade  a  stranger  when  visit 
ing  the  Western  country  for  the  first  time.  The 
drum  was  pouring  out  a  dull,  melancholy  roll, 
at  the  far  end  of  the  green,  occasionally  en 
livened  by  the  shrill  tones  of  a  fierce  little 
fife.  Under  the  window  a  lounging  soldier, 
half  asleep,  was  drawling  out  a  tedious  ditty, 
with  a  strong  nasal  accompaniment  which  did 
not  add  much  to  the  vivacity  of  the  tune. 

My  eyes  were  yielding  to  slumber  ;  present 
things  were  fast  vanishing,  or  only  appeared 
blended  with  the  fitful  forms  of  a  drowsy 
imagination. 

"  Ho  !  ho  !  ho  !  "  shouted  a  dozen  voices  at 
my  side.  I  started  up — a  group  of  Kansas 
were  seated  in  a  ring  around  my  bear-skin. 
For  a  moment  I  was  bewildered — but  they 
soon  convinced  me  of  the  reality  of  their 
presence. 

They  were  a  detachment  who  had  been  sent 
out  to  forage. 

Although  their  language  was  unknown  to  me, 
their  object  was  perfectly  intelligible.  They 


36  A  Band  of  Kansas. 

signified  their  wants  with  a  clearness  of  ges 
ticulation  which  could  not  be  misunderstood, 
and  the  earnestness  of  which  was,  no  doubt, 
enhanced  by  a  keen  appetite. 

Seeing  that  there  was  no  alternative,  I  called 
to  our  half-breed  boy  : 

"  Joseph  !  " 

"  Vat  you  vant  ?  "  sounded  a  voice  from  the 
dark  cavern  below,  which  was  dignified  with 
the  name  of  a  kitchen. 

"  Have  you  any  meat  or  bread  for  these  In 
dians  ?  " 

"  Sacre  diable  !  "  answered  he.  "  Vare  de 
devil  I  to  git  meat  for  dem  ?  I  hain't  eat  none 
my  own  sef,  for  tree  day,  nor  Mordecai  neder. 

This  was  not  altogether  true,  but  it  was  con 
clusive,  so  I  returned  to  my  dusky  friends  with 
the  heavy  intelligence. 

They  were  immovable.  I  soon  found  out 
that  a  hungry  Indian  is  not  open  to  conviction 
where  his  stomach  is  concerned ;  and  they 
were  deaf  both  to  arguments  and  to  state 
ments  of  facts.  They  heard  me — they  under 
stood  me — but  they  were  not  a  whit  nearer  to 
conviction,  and  they  made  no  motion  to  de 
part. 


A  Band  of  Kansas.  37 

There  was  no  resource  left,  so  I  determined 
to  abdicate  in  their  favor,  and  taking  up  my 
hat  I  left  the  house,  and  strolled  off  into  the 
woods. 

It  was  near  sunset  when  I  returned  to  my 
quarters.  I  opened  the  door  of  the  room  and 
looked  in. 

"  Ho  !  ho  !  ho  !  "  sounded  a  dozen  guttural 
voices  from  within.  My  red  friends  were  there 
still,  awaiting  my  arrival.  I  closed  the  door  in 
stantly,  and  walked  with  a  hasty  step  to  the 
quarters  of  one  of  the  officers,  nor  did  I  return 
until  late  at  night,  when  I  found  that  they  had 
disappeared. 

I  afterwards  learned  that  they  had  been  sup 
plied  with  provisions,  on  the  morning  previous, 
but  were  now  carrying  on  the  business  of  fora 
ging  for  mere  amusement. 

Their  experience  was  not  always  of  the  most 
pleasant  character,  as  the  following  incident 
will  show. 

When  we  were  at  Cincinnati,  on  our  way 
to  Fort  Leavenworth,  the  cholera  was  prevail 
ing  not  only  in  that  city,  but  in  all  the  towns 
on  the  borders  of  the  Ohio  and  Mississippi 
rivers. 


3  8  A  Band  of  Kansas. 

The  Commissioner,  with  anxious  forethought 
for  the  health  of  the  party  under  his  charge, 
consulted  several  physicians  as  to  the  best 
remedy  to  be  used  in  case  of  an  attack  of  the 
epidemic. 

One  old  gentleman  urgently  recommended  a 
mixture  of  brandy  and  cayenne  pepper,  sold 
in  the  drug  stores  under  the  name  of  "  Prepara 
tion  No.  6." 

He  said  that  when  Preparation  No.  6  was 
swallowed,  the  cholera  was  "  bound  to  quit." 

It  was  made  by  putting  about  half  a  pint  of 
the  pepper  into  a  quart  bottle,  and  filling  up 
the  bottle  with  brandy,  and  was  to  be  admin 
istered  a  teaspoonful  at  a  time  in  half  a  tum 
blerful  of  water. 

We  reached  Fort  Leavenworth  without  hav 
ing  any  occasion  to  use  it,  but  we  kept  the  bot 
tle  on  the  mantelpiece  in  our  quarters  ready  for 
an  emergency,  as  the  cholera  was  slowly  creep 
ing  up  the  Missouri  River. 

These  Kansas  were  the  first  to  test  its 
virtues. 

One  afternoon  Mr.  D.  was  lying  half  asleep, 
wrapped  up  in  his  blanket,  in  the  inner  room 
in  our  quarters,  but  so  that  he  could  see  what 


A  Band  of  Kansas.  39 

took  place  in  the  outer  one,  when  several  In 
dians  entered  it. 

Their  moccasined  feet  made  no  noise,  and 
he  would  not  have  noticed  them  had  they  not 
caught  sight  of  the  bottle  containing  the  chol 
era  antidote. 

An  Indian  can  never  resist  the  temptation 
of  liquor. 

A  great  swarthy  fellow  skulked  stealthily  to 
the  mantelpiece,  took  up  the  bottle,  drew  out 
the  cork,  smelt  at  the  mouth  of  the  bottle, 
then  took  a  long  draught,  containing  about 
twenty  doses. 

Few  Indians  have  ever  replaced  a  bottle 
more  quickly  than  he  did. 

A  sound  between  a  hiccup  and  a  yell  burst 
from  him  as  he  rushed  out  of  the  room. 

He  was  followed  by  all  the  others  except 
one,  who  lingered  behind  and  eyed  the  bottle 
with  a  longing,  yet  distrustful  eye. 

Preparation  No.  6  carried  the  day.  He  strode 
up  to  the  flask  like  one  determined  to  dare  the 
worst,  seized  it,  and  took  a  huge  swallow. 

The  next  moment,  with  a  smothered  howl, 
he  darted  out  of  the  room  as  if  shot  from  a 
cannon. 


4O  A  Sand  of  Kansas. 

These  two  Indians  made  better  time  down 
to  the  Missouri  River  than  had  ever  been 
made  before,  and  if  it  was  not  drunk  dry  it 
was  not  their  fault,  nor  the  fault  of  Preparation 
No.  6.  None  of  the  band  again  visited  our 
quarters,  but  they  lingered  around  the  fort  for 
several  days. 

When  the  night  grew  dark  there  was  a  bright 
fire  gleaming  under  the  old  oak  tree,  and  the 
whole  group  were  huddled  together  around  it. 
From  the  piazza,  in  front  of  our  quarters  we 
could  see  their  forms  flitting  round  the  blaze, 
and  could  hear  their  song  as  it  rose  up  in  the 
night  air  with  a  wildness  not  unmixed  with 
melody.  In  the  morning  we  visited  their  camp, 
but  it  was  deserted. 

The  embers  had  fallen  to  ashes,  the  fire  was 
extinguished,  and  the  whole  wild  troop  had 
again  set  out  upon  its  wanderings. 

Two  days  after  their  departure  we  were 
seated  in  our  room,  when  an  Indian  entered. 

He  wore  a  hat,  after  the  fashion  of  the 
whites,  a  calico  hunting-shirt,  and  rough  leg- 
gins,  and  over  the  whole  was  wrapped  a 
heavy  blanket.  His  face  was  unpainted,  and 
although  his  age  was  nearly  seventy,  his  hair 


A  Band  of  Kansas.  4 1 

was  raven  black  and  his  eye  as  keen  as  a 
hawk's.  He  was  White  Plume,  chief  of  the 
Kansas  tribe.  He  had  spent  much  time 
among  the  whites,  and  had  gradually  become 
familiarized  with  their  manners.  On  entering 
the  room  he  placed  his  hat  on  the  table,  and 
advancing  to  the  Indian  Commissioner,  of 
fered  his  hand  to  him,  after  which  he  shook 
hands  in  turn  with  the  rest  of  us.  He  then 
stepped  into  the  centre  of  the  room,  and 
wrapping  his  blanket  around  his  body,  com 
menced  an  address,  the  purport  of  which  I  do 
not  remember.  By  his  side  stood  a  white  man 
who  had  spent  many  years  among  the  tribe, 
and  who  translated  the  sentences  as  the  chief 
paused  for  that  purpose. 

The  address  lasted  about  ten  minutes,  and  the 
most  of  it  was  dull,  but  in  speaking  of  his  chil 
dren,  who  had  died  of  the  cholera  during  the 
autumn  previous,  his  language  was  even  poeti 
cal. 

"  My  children,"  said  he,  "  have  gone  from  me. 
The  Great  Spirit  has  called  them.  They  have 
disappeared  like  the  snow  that  melts  on  the 
prairie.  I  was  lonely  ;  I  returned  to  my  lodge, 
but  it  was  desolate,  for  they  were  not  there." 


42  A  Band  of  Kansas. 

When  he  had  rested  himself  he  rose  up,  and 
throwing  out  several  hints  of  so  broad  a  char 
acter  that  they  smacked  strongly  of  beggary, 
he  received  several  presents  and  left  the  build 
ing,  wending  his  way  over  the  prairie,  along 
the  narrow  trail  which  led  to  his  village. 


CHAPTER  V. 
The  Forest —  The  Kickapoos. 

FROM  the  time  of  our  arrival  at  the  garri 
son  small  parties  of  Indians  had  been 
constantly  coming  and  going.  They  were 
Kickapoos,  belonging  to  one  of  the  tribes 
which  had  been  removed  from  the  States. 
Scarcely  a  day  elapsed  that  we  did  not  catch  a 
glimpse  of  some  gaudily  dressed  band,  their 
tin  trinkets  glistening  in  the  sunbeams,  and 
their  garments  fluttering  in  the  wind,  as  they 
galloped  towards  the  fort.  They  carry  on  a 
species  of  traffic  with  the  sutler,  exchanging 
furs  and  skins  for  ribbons  and  such  other 
showy  articles  as  are  likely  to  catch  the  eye  of 
a  savage.  From  long  intercourse  with  the 
whites  they  have  become  accustomed  to  driv 
ing  bargains,  and  are  looked  upon  by  the  gen 
erality  of  traders  as  pretty  shrewd  customers  ; 
yet  even  from  them  the  profits  derived  by  the 
whites  are  great. 

From  seeing  these  different  bands  constantly 

43 


44          The  Forest —  The  Kickapoos. 

coming  and  going  to  and  from  this  village,  we 
conceived  a  desire  to  visit  them,  and  accord 
ingly  upon  a  fine  clear  morning  we  started. 

The  path  was  for  the  most  part  through  the 
woods.  We  rode  about  an  hour,  crossed  sev 
eral  brooks,  traversed  several  small  patches  of 
prairie,  and  at  last  found  ourselves  upon  the 
summit  of  a  bluff  which  overlooked  the 
little  Indian  town.  At  our  feet  lay  a  prai 
rie,  dotted  with  wild-flowers.  Three  of  its 
sides  were  enclosed  by  a  ridge  of  hills,  at 
the  foot  of  which  meandered  a  brook  with  a 
range  of  trees  along  its  borders.  The  fourth 
side  of  the  green  was  hemmed  in  by  a  thick 
forest,  which  extended  back  to  the  banks  of 
the  Missouri. 

In  the  edge  of  this  stood  the  village. 

It  was  a  retired,  rural  spot,  shut  out  from  the 
world,  and  looked  as  if  it  might  have  been  free 
from  its  cares  also. 

When  we  arrived,  we  were  told  that  there 
was  to  be  a  horse-race  between  two  rival  braves, 
and  that  nearly  all  the  village  had  turned  out 
on  the  occasion. 

We  made  our  way  to  the  starting-place, 
which  was  under  an  oak  tree  not  far  off. 


The  Forest — The  Kickapoos.          45 

One  or  two  of  the  chief  men  of  the  tribe 
who  had  seen  us  at  Leavenworth  came  forward 
to  meet  us,  and  placed  us  where  we  could  see 
what  was  going  on. 

After  that,  they  devoted  themselves  to  the 
business  on  hand,  which  was  soon  completed. 

A  little  hard-headed  old  Indian  was  ap 
pointed  umpire,  and  the  two  riders  were  at 
their  posts. 

Both  were  young  men,  dressed  in  hunting 
shirts  and  cloth  leggins.  Their  horses  were 
not  of  the  class  that  might  strictly  be  denomi 
nated  racers.  One  was  black,  the  other  cream- 
colored.  The  black  one  had  fierce  little  eyes, 
glittering  like  fire,  beneath  a  long,  shaggy 
forelock,  which  reached  nearly  to  his  nose. 

The  eyes  of  the  other  were  water-colored, 
and  had  a  sneaking  slyness  about  them — an  air 
which  seemed  to  insinuate  that  their  owner 
"  knew  a  thing  or  two." 

Both  horses  were  round-bodied,  bull-necked, 
with  thick  legs  garnished  with  fetlocks  of 
matted  hair,  extending  from  the  knee  joint 
down  to  the  hoof,  and  trailing  on  the  ground. 

They  appeared  but  little  ambitious  of  dis 
tinguishing  themselves  in  the  coming  contest, 


46          The  Forest — The  Kickapoos. 

and,  had  their  own  inclinations  been  consulted, 
it  is  probable  would  have  declined  it  altogether. 
Not  so  their  riders ;  they  sat  as  eager  as 
hounds  in  the  leash.  Their  eyes  were  intently 
fixed  upon  the  umpire,  who  seemed  to  take 
the  matter  with  wonderful  coolness.  At  last 
he  gave  the  signal ;  there  was  a  hard,  quick 
thumping  of  heels  against  the  ribs  of  the 
horses,  and  a  great  clattering  of  hoofs.  Their 
bounds  were  short  but  rapid.  The  riders 
whooped  and  yelled,  and  the  lookers-on  shouted 
as  loud  as  either. 

The  little  cream-colored  pony  was  working 
wonderfully  hard,  but  the  black  was  gaining 
upon  him.  They  were  to  pass  round  a  tree 
which  stood  about  half  a  mile  off,  and  return 
to  the  starting-place.  The  black  had  the  lead 
by  a  length  ;  his  legs  were  invisible  as  he 
turned  the  tree,  but  the  cream-colored  pony 
pushed  him  hard. 

"  Two  to  one  on  the  black  !  "  shouted  one  of 
the  whites. 

"  Lay  it  on,  old  boy,  or  you  're  beaten !  " 
hallooed  another. 

Both  riders  exerted  themselves  to  the  ut 
most,  the  black  still  keeping  the  lead. 


The  Forest — The  Kickapoos.          47 

As  they  rushed  snorting  in,  the  crowd  shouted 
and  opened  a  passage  for  them  ;  they  dashed 
through,  running  nearly  a  hundred  yards  be 
yond  the  mark. 

When  the  race  was  finished,  we  rode  to  the 
town.  About  thirty  huts  constructed  of  bark 
compose  the  village.  A  strong  gale  of  wind 
would  have  prostrated  even  the  best  of  them, 
had  it  not  been  for  the  shelter  of  the  forest  in 
which  they  were  built. 

Our  arrival  seemed  to  have  created  quite  an 
excitement,  especially  among  the  children,  who 
followed  at  our  heels  in  troops  until  we  came  to 
the  house  of  the  Indian  Agent.  This  officer  is 
appointed  by  the  United  States  to  live  with  the 
tribe,  and  see  that  the  annuities  due  to  them 
from  the  Government  are  not  frittered  away 
by  going  through  several  hands  before  they 
reach  the  Indians. 

His  house  'was  a  small  log  cabin,  and  we 
found  him  at  the  door  expecting  us. 

We  were  cordially  welcomed  and  introduced 
to  the  head  chief,  and  also  to  a  tall,  bony  In 
dian  with  a  keen  black  eye.  The  latter,  who 
was  the  prophet  of  the  tribe,  had  been  con 
verted  to  Christianity,  and  on  Sundays  deliv- 


48          The  Forest —  The  Kickapoos. 

ered  addresses  on  the  subject  to  such  as  would 
listen. 

His  face  was  full  of  intelligence,  but  his  out 
ward  appearance  was  rather  unclerical ;  for 
when  we  entered  he  was  leaning  on  a  long 
rifle,  and  appeared  to  be  accoutred  for  a  hunt. 

He  laid  asidf  the  gun  as  we  came  in,  and 
with  the  aid  of  an  interpreter  commenced  a 
conversation  with  us. 

We  were  afterwards  told  that  this  was  some 
thing  unusual,  as  he  habitually  kept  aloof  from 
intercourse  with  the  whites,  and  that  he  had 
more  influence  with  the  tribe  than  any  man  in 
the  village. 

From  the  little  that  we  saw  it  was  evident 
that  the  chief  yielded  to  him,  and  listened  to 
his  remarks  with  the  deference  of  one  who 
acknowledged  his  superiority.  There  was,  how 
ever,  no  appearance  of  jealousy  or  heart-burn 
ing  between  them. 

It  was  late  when  we  left.  The  sun  was 
sinking  in  the  west,  and  its  last  beams  were 
resting  on  the  tree-tops  as  we  rode  out  of  the 
woods.  An  hour's  ride  brought  us  to  our 
quarters  at  the  cantonment. 


CHAPTER  VI. 
Departure  for  the  Pawnees  —  Prairie  Life. 


EVERAL  weeks  had  elapsed  since  our 
arrival  at  the  garrison  ;  yet  the  other 
Commissioner  had  not  made  his  appearance, 
and  Mr.  E.  determined,  therefore,  to  set  out 
for  the  Pawnee  villages  without  him. 

The  cholera  had  broken  out  at  the  fort,  and 
the  garrison,  enfeebled  by  sickness,  could  not 
spare  a  sufficient  escort  to  overawe  the  sav 
ages.  He  therefore  took  the  bold  alternative 
of  throwing  himself  among  them,  in  a  manner 
unarmed,  piquing  their  honor  and  hospitality 
by  this  mark  of  confidence. 

Seven  soldiers  constituted  the  whole  military 
escort,  merely  sufficient  to  protect  us  from  any 
petty,  prowling  band. 

The  servants,  Mordecai  and  Joseph,  were  to 
drive  the  two  light  wagons,  in  which  were 
packed  our  bedding,  baggage,  and  camp  furni 
ture.  We  had  also  engaged  a  negro  named 
Jones  as  cook. 

49 


50  Prairie  Life. 

The  Commissioner,  with  prudent  care  for 
our  creature  comforts,  had  added  a  cow,  re 
marking  that  coffee  was  always  improved  by 
the  addition  of  milk,  a  remark  in  which  we  all 
concurred. 

Our  mess  was  increased  by  the  addition  of 
Major  Dougherty,  from  St.  Louis,  the  Agent 
for  the  Pawnee  Indians,  and  Dr.  May,  a  sur 
geon  resident  in  Missouri. 

Major  Dougherty  was  to  be  our  guide.  He 
had  lived  with  Indians  for  many  years,  spoke 
the  language  of  several  of  the  tribes,  and  was 
well  versed  in  their  ways. 

He  was  an  old  campaigner,  and  was  familiar 
with  prairie  life,  and  with  the  untrodden  plains 
over  which  we  were  to  make  our  journey. 

He  was  known  far  and  wide  among  the  trap 
pers  and  hunters,  and  was  always  addressed  as 
Major,  although  I  believe  the  title  was  given 
to  him  only  as  a  matter  of  courtesy,  he  never 
having  been  in  the  army ;  but  in  Indian  skir 
mish  and  warfare  he  had  no  little  experience. 

On  the  day  before  our  departure  the  soldiers 
commenced  loading  two  heavy,  covered  ox 
wagons,  with  kegs  of  gunpowder,  barrels  of 
flour,  sacks  of  bacon,  besides  boxes  and  bales 


Prairie  Life.  5 1 

containing  presents  for  the  Indians.  Towards 
evening,  a  cessation  of  noise  and  clamor  in  the 
neighborhood  of  the  store-house  gave  token 
that  the  task  was  accomplished.  In  the  course 
of  an  hour,  half  a  dozen  oxen  were  yoked  be 
fore  each  wagon,  and,  conducted  by  two  team 
sters,  they  departed  under  escort  of  the  seven 
soldiers.  The  whole  were  to  encamp  on  a 
small  stream  a  few  miles  distant,  and  await 
our  coming.  Our  party,  six  in  number,  were 
to  follow  their  trail  on  horseback  the  next 
morning. 

The  sun  rose  cheerily  over  the  tops  of  the 
trees  on  the  day  following,  and  we  prepared  to 
set  out.  There  was  quite  an  excitement  in 
the  garrison.  Kind  wishes  and  farewells  were 
exchanged.  Many,  who  had  been  anxious  to 
join  our  troop  in  their  journey  through  this 
unknown  land,  now  hung  around  with  longing 
eyes. 

There  was  mystery  and  shadowy  danger 
around  the  expedition.  Nothing  positive  was 
known  about  the  wild  tribes  whom  we  were  to 
visit.  It  was  said  that  their  numbers  were 
large ;  that  they  were  cruel  and  unsparing  in 
their  nature  ;  that  they  looked  upon  the  whites 


5  2  Prairie  Life. 

as  enemies,  and  killed  and  scalped  them  when 
ever  they  could. 

We  gave  but  little  heed  to  these  rumors. 

We  had  been  lingering  at  Leavenworth  un 
til  we  were  weary  of  inaction,  and  were  anxious 
to  commence  our  new  career  of  adventure. 

By  way  of  adding  to  the  excitement,  two  or 
three  Job's  comforters  had  collected  all  the 
tales  of  murder  and  bloodshed  committed  by 
Indians  since  the  discovery  of  America,  and 
poured  them  into  our  ears,  with  a  dreary  ac 
companiment  of  long  faces  and  evil  prophecies. 
They  foretold  that  we  would  never  again  be 
seen  at  Leavenworth,  or  at  all  events,  that  if 
we  did,  it  would  be  stripped  of  our  scalps. 

However,  they  promised  that  they  would 
write  to  our  friends  the  particulars  of  our  mis 
haps,  as  soon  as  they  learned  them,  and  if  they 
heard  nothing,  as  was  most  probable,  would 
send  a  thrilling  account  manufactured  by  them 
selves. 

It  was  near  mid-day  when  we  set  out,  fol 
lowing  the  broad  trail  left  by  the  baggage 
wagons  as  they  had  passed  through  the  high 
grass. 

Several  of  the  officers  accompanied  us  a  short 


Prairie  Life.  53 

distance,  but  at  length  they  took  their  leave 
and  left  us  to  journey  onward  in  our  pilgrim 
age. 

As  long  as  we  were  in  the  garrison,  where 
the  busy  face  of  man  was  seen,  where  active 
forms  were  moving  around  us,  and  the  every 
day  concerns  of  life  were  going  forward,  we 
felt  that,  though  distant  from  home,  we  were 
still  connected  with  society  ;  but  when  we  bade 
farewell  to  those  who  had  accompanied  us  ;  as 
we  watched  their  forms  until  they  were  hid  by 
the  distant  hills,  we  felt  that  the  last  link  was 
broken  which  had  hitherto  united  us  to  the 
world  and  its  occupations. 

It  was  intended,  first,  to  strike  up  in  a  north 
erly  direction,  until  we  reached  the  village  of 
the  Otoe  and  Missouria  Indians,  situated  upon 
the  Platte  River,  about  twenty  miles  north 
west  of  its  junction  with  the  Missouri. 

Thence  the  Platte  was  to  be  our  guide,  until 
we  came  upon  the  Pawnee  towns  which  are 
situated  on  its  banks,  five  or  six  days'  journey 
farther  to  the  westward. 

During  our  stay  at  the  garrison  a  change  had 
come  over  the  face  of  the  prairies.  The  bright 
summer  flowers  had  disappeared,  a  growth  of 


54  Prairie  Life. 

yellow  and  blue  ones,  the  harbingers  of  the 
departing  year,  supplied  their  places.  Here 
and  there  a  red  flower,  the  survivor  of  those 
which  had  flourished  in  the  summer,  shot  up 
its  head  amid  clusters  of  golden-hued  blossoms 
The  deep  green  of  the  trees  had  disappeared, 
and  the  brown  tinge  of  autumn  was  creeping 
among  the  leaves.  The  bright,  soft  green  of 
the  prairie  grass  was  giving  place  to  a  color  of 
greenish  brown.  The  geese  and  pelicans  had 
left  their  lives  of  solitude,  and  in  large  flocks 
were  winging  their  way  to  the  north  ;  the  wind 
swept  over  the  rustling  grass  with  a  moaning 
sound  that  spoke  strongly  of  the  approach  of 
winter. 

At  this  season  we  commenced  our  travel.  It 
was  late  in  the  afternoon  when  we  reached  the 
spot  where  the  soldiers  had  encamped,  on  the 
side  of  a  small  prairie  hill.  Within  a  few  yards 
of  the  tents  a  scanty  stream  of  water  stole 
through  the  grass,  and  at  a  short  distance  stood 
a  grove  of  trees,  which  supplied  fuel  for  the 
night  fires. 

The  soldiers  had  caught  sight  of  us  long  be 
fore  we  had  seen  them,  and  we  found  every 
thing  in  readiness  for  our  arrival. 


Prairie  Life.  55 

They  had  pitched  our  large  tent,  and  had 
made  a  fire  near  it.  Mordecai  was  preparing 
supper  ;  Jones,  the  negro,  was  collecting  wood  ; 
and  Joe  was  equally  busy  in  looking  on  and 
giving  advice,  on  subjects  of  which  he  knew 
nothing. 

We  found  our  bear-skins  and  buffalo  robes 
spread.  Our  horses  were  hobbled  and  turned 
out  to  graze,  our  saddles  and  blankets  were 
carried  into  the  tent  to  serve  as  pillows  and 
covering,  and  we  then  devoted  our  attention 
to  the  supper,  which  Mordecai  had  ready 
for  us. 

Major  Dougherty  had  an  unusual  fund  of  dry 
humor,  and  enlivened  the  whole  evening  with 
tales  of  Indians  and  mountain  trappers. 

I  do  not  know  how  long  we  might  have  lis 
tened  to  him,  had  not  the  Doctor  suggested 
that  it  was  getting  late,  and  that  we  had  better 
betake  ourselves  to  our  bear-skins  and  blankets, 
which  we  did. 

Early  the  next  morning  there  was  quite  a 
stir  in  the  camp  ;  everybody  was  busy  making 
suggestions,  except  the  soldiers  who  were  ac 
customed  to  obey  orders,  and  waited  for  them. 

Among   the    leaders    of    the    party   Major 


56  Prairie  Life. 

Dougherty  was  prime-adviser,  and  marked 
out  our  course  and  stopping-places,  for  he  had 
been  over  the  ground  before,  and  knew  where 
fords  were  to  be  found,  and  where  the  river 
banks  were  lowest,  so  that  there  would  be  less 
digging  to  make  a  roadway  for  the  ox  wagons. 

Among  the  soldiers,  Rash  was  pre-eminently 
the  leader  ;  he  was  an  experienced  hunter,  and 
had  been  an  Indian  fighter  almost  from  his  boy 
hood. 

In  one  of  my  after  conversations  with  him, 
he  told  me  that  a  band  of  hostile  Indians,  in 
one  of  their  incursions  upon  our  frontier,  had 
attacked  and  burnt  the  house  in  which  his 
parents  lived,  and  had  murdered  his  mother 
and  brother  and  little  sister. 

By  some  means  Rash,  who  was  but  a  boy, 
had  escaped.  But  he  did  not  forget  the  deed, 
nor  those  who  did  it,  and  made  a  vow  that  he 
would  kill  a  hundred  Indians  of  that  tribe,  to 
avenge  the  slaughter  of  his  family. 

I  asked  him  if  he  had  completed  his  list. 

He  replied  :  "  Not  yet.  I  have  knocked  over 
a  good  many,  and  I  allow  that  I  will  knock 
over  a  good  many  more  before  I  die." 

Fortunately  we  were  not  to  visit  any  tribe 


Prairie  Life.  5  7 

against  which  he  bore  this  grudge,  so  that 
there  was  no  fear  of  any  hostile  action  on  his 
part  except  in  self-defence. 

The  soldiers  were  nominally  under  the  com 
mand  of  a  little  short-legged  sergeant,  whose 
principal  business  was  to  swear  at  the  oxen, 
and  to  drink  honey  by  the  quart  whenever  we 
had  the  fortune  to  fell  a  bee  tree. 

Rash,  however,  was  looked  up  to  by  all  of 
them  ;  for  in  him  were  centred  all  the  qualifi 
cations  useful  in  travelling  through  a  region 
where  it  was  a  matter  of  chance  whether  we 
would  meet  friend  or  foe.  He  was  hunter, 
scout,  and  Indian  fighter  combined,  and  was 
ready  to  bring  to  the  front  any  qualification 
called  for  in  emergency. 

We  had  an  early  breakfast,  the  Commis 
sioner's  cow  was  milked,  and  as  we  drank  our 
coffee  we  all  admitted  that  milk  certainly  did 
improve  coffee. 

After  this  the  tents  were  struck,  and,  with 
the  bear-skins,  robes,  and  cooking  utensils,  were 
packed  in  the  wagons,  and  we  commenced  our 
march,  keeping  together  as  much  as  possible, 
the  horsemen  riding  in  front  to  break  a  wide 
trail  through  the  high  grass  for  the  wagons. 


58  Prairie  Life. 

The  Doctor  was  clad  in  a  buck-skin  coat,  with 
high  boots,  and  a  soft,  broad-brimmed  white 
hat,  which  turned  up  all  round,  and  assumed 
any  shape  which  the  owner  might  wish. 

He  rode  a  small  mule  named  Kitty  Keero, 
upon  whom  he  lavished  various  terms  of  en 
dearment. 

As  he  was  a  pretty  lusty  fellow,  it  is  probable 
that  Kitty  would  have  preferred  a  rider  who 
was  more  crusty  and  less  heavy. 

As  we  started  on  our  journey  we  all  knew 
that  several  weeks  would  pass  before  we 
reached  the  Otoe  village,  which  was  to  be  our 
first  stopping-place,  and  was  the  home  of  one 
of  the  tribes  claiming  the  lands  which  the 
Commissioner  was  empowered  to  buy ;  but 
we  did  not  know  what  difficulties  we  might 
encounter  on  our  way  thither. 

We  knew  also  that  there  were  rivers  to  be 
crossed  and  bridged  in  some  way  or  other,  but 
beyond  this  all  was  mystery.  And  as  we 
looked  over  the  prairies  and  saw  the  vast 
ocean  of  green,  we  could  not  tell  what  might 
be  afloat  on  it,  nor  whether  the  first  cruiser 
which  we  might  meet  on  our  way  across  it 
would  hoist  a  friendly  flag  or  fire  a  shot. 


CHAPTER  VII. 
The  Party  of  Sac  Indians. 

EXCEPT  in  the  time  of  war  there  is  but 
little  variety  in  prairie  life.  The  ex 
perience  of  one  day  is  but  a  repetition  of  that 
of  another. 

The  killing  of  a  deer  is  quite  an  event.  The 
appearance  of  one  of  our  hunters  upon  a  dis 
tant  hill  would  give  birth  to  all  sorts  of  specu 
lations  as  to  his  success,  and  a  deer  coming  in 
sight,  although  far  off,  was  the  signal  for 
bustle  ;  for  we  were  all  anxious  for  something 
better  than  salt  pork  and  bacon,  and  some  one 
was  always  on  the  look-out  and  ready  to  start 
after  the  game  which  appeared  within  reach. 

There  was  a  keen  interest  in  watching  the 
hunter  as  he  stole  through  the  long  grass 
towards  his  intended  prey. 

Suddenly  the  deer  seems  to  grow  suspicious, 
and  is  on  the  alert  with  his  head  erect,  and  his 
nose  in  the  air — now  he  begins  to  move  off — 

"  Crack  !  "  goes  the  rifle— 

59 


6o  The  Party  of  Sac  Indians. 

In  five  minutes  he  is  out  of  sight,  or  the 
hunter  is  making  signals  for  assistance  to  help 
him  bring  in  our  intended  supper. 

The  sight  of  a  fresh  trail  through  the  grass 
would  be  the  foundation  of  endless  fancies. 

By  whom  was  it  made?  Were  they  friends 
or  foes  ?  Whither  were  they  going  ?  Were 
they  warriors  or  hunters?  These  and  a  hun 
dred  other  conjectures  would  be  made  as  we 
stood  around  the  marks  which  told  us  that  we 
were  not  the  only  wanderers  upon  that  waste. 

It  was  a  week  since  we  had  left  Fort  Leaven- 
worth,  and  we  had  traversed  about  a  hundred 
miles.  Sometimes  the  prairies  were  studded 
with  groves  of  trees  which  looked  like  islands 
in  a  sea.  Sometimes  high,  broken  hills  rose 
up,  so  steep  and  sharp  in  outline,  and  so 
rugged  in  ascent,  that  they  looked  like  the 
time-worn  fortifications  of  some  past  century. 

Ravines  and  forests,  here  and  there,  broke 
up  the  monotonous  green  waste,  and  trees 
winding  in  long  lines  across  it  pointed  out 
where  a  brook  was  finding  its  way  through  the 
grass,  to  some  larger  river. 

One  evening  our  encampment  was  in  a  grove 
on  the  borders  of  a  brook.  Several  times  dur- 


The  Party  of  Sac  Indians.  6 1 

ing  the  day  signs  of  a  trail  had  been  observed 
in  the  grass,  and  the  whole  party  were  on  the 
look-out  for  Indians,  and  lest  the  horses  should 
be  driven  off  by  lurking  marauders,  they  were 
secured  by  long  ropes  to  stakes.  The  night, 
however,  passed  without  disturbance,  and  in 
the  morning  the  tents  were  struck,  and  the 
party  resumed  its  journey. 

As  the  movements  of  the  wagons  were  slow, 
four  of  us  strolled  forward  on  foot,  and  were 
about  a  mile  in  advance  of  the  party.  We 
travelled  leisurely  that  they  might  overtake  us, 
amusing  ourselves  by  discharging  our  rifles  at 
the  ravens  or  turkey  buzzards  which  soared 
above  us. 

We  were  out  of  sight  of  the  wagons.  In 
front  of  us,  at  the  distance  of  a  quarter  of  a 
mile,  rose  a  cone-like  hill,  from  each  side  of 
which  extended  a  long  ridge,  shutting  out  the 
view  beyond.  Presently  a  black  object  rose 
over  its  top.  Gradually  it  grew  larger,  and  at 
last  an  Indian  appeared. 

He  caught  sight  of  us  at  once,  and  stood 
still,  until  two  others  joined  him. 

For  some  moments  there  appeared  to  be  a 
consultation  among  them  ;  then  seating  them- 


62  The  Party  of  Sac  Indians. 

selves  they  waited  for  us  to  come  up.  The 
position  which  they  had  taken  was  directly 
upon  the  narrow  trail  which  we  were  following, 
so  that,  whether  friends  or  foes,  there  was  no 
possibility  of  avoiding  them.  But  as  there 
were  only  three,  there  was  little  to  be  appre 
hended.  Before  advancing,  however,  the  sol 
diers  took  the  precaution  to  examine  their 
flints  and  the  priming  of  their  guns.  While 
thus  engaged,  one  of  them,  named  Wolf,  a 
tall,  gigantic  fellow,  with  a  neck  like  a  bull's, 
who  had  fought  against  Black  Hawk,  took  the 
opportunity  to  bestow  a  little  of  his  advice  and 
opinion  upon  the  others,  and  turning  round  he 
commenced : 

"  You  see  them  ar  Ingens ;  well,  them  is  Sacs 
and  Foxes.  I  know  'em,  for  I  fit  agin  'em 
when  Black  Hawk  led  'em  on.  And  now  I 
think  on  't,  it  's  dreadful  aggravating  to  see 
how  the  folks  at  the  east'ard  are  honoring  that 
ar  rascal  for  killing  and  murdering  the  whites, 
while  we  who  fit  agin  him  to  prevent  it  aint 
taken  no  notice  on  ;  it 's  monstrous  aggravating. 
But  that  aint  nothing  to  the  pint.  You  see 
them  ar  Ingens  on  that  ar  hill.  Now  you 
think  there  's  only  three  on  'em.  There  you 


The  Party  of  Sac  Indians.  63 

think  wrong,  bekase  there  's  more  behind  'em, 
for,  if  there  war  n't,  they  would  come  on  to 
meet  us,  and  would  n't  be  squatting  like  so 
many  woodchucks  in  the  parara. 

"  They  'm  waiting  for  the  rest  to  come  up  to 
see  whether  they  think  it  best  to  rob  us  or  not. 
That  's  my  opinion,  and  I  know  something  of 
Ingen  natur,  for  I  fit  agin  'em.  Now  I  know 
one  what  they  won't  rob,  and  that 's  me ;  first, 
bekase  I  aint  got  nothing  to  lose ;  and  sec 
ond,  because  I  intend  to  make  my  yager 1 
speak  to  the  first  redskin  what  tries  to  take  it. 

"  And  now,  my  boys,  move  ahead  and  keep 
a  stiff  upper  lip. 

"  If  the  worst  comes  to  the  worst,  we  can 
keep  them  off  until  the  wagons  come  up,  and 
then  we  '11  lick  'em." 

After  finishing  his  address,  he  shouldered 
his  yager  and  strode  on,  followed  by  the  rest 
of  us. 

Notwithstanding  his  knowledge  of  "  Ingen 
natur,"  we  did  not  place  as  much  confidence 
in  his  experience  as  he  might  have  supposed  ; 

1  This  is  a  short  rifle,  and  carries  a  large  ball.  They  are 
used  by  the  U.  S.  dragoons,  on  account  of  the  convenience  of 
their  length. 


64  The  Party  of  Sac  Indians. 

nor  did  we  expect  to  push  matters  to  the  ex 
tremity  which  he  seemed  to  take  for  granted 
would  be  the  result  of  our  meeting. 

In  a  few  minutes  we  were  at  the  bottom  of 
the  hill.  The  savages  maintained  their  sitting 
posture,  nor  did  they  rise  until  we  came  within 
about  ten  yards  of  them.  Upon  reaching 
them  we  found  that  the  soldier  had  been  cor 
rect  in  one  of  his  conjectures ;  for  at  the  dis 
tance  of  little  less  than  a  quarter  of  a  mile, 
were  about  seventy  more  of  the  same  band, 
driving  in  front  of  them  a  large  drove  of  horses. 
They  were  all  wild,  uncouth-looking  fellows. 
A  few  had  blankets,  but  the  most  of  them 
wore  robes  of  buffalo  skin.  At  the  sight  of  us 
they  left  their  horses  in  charge  of  one  or 
two  squaws  and  scampered  over  the  prairie  to 
meet  us. 

"  I  told  you  so,"  said  Wolf.  "  Look  to  your 
guns,  and  when  they  crowds  around,  keep  a 
tight  grip  on  the  wepons,  and  don't  let  them 
go  out  of  your  hands." 

The  crowd  poured  on,  each  endeavoring  to 
outrun  his  neighbor. 

Many  threw  from  them  the  robes  which  im 
peded  their  motions,  and  several  pulling  them 


The  Party  of  Sac  Indians.  65 

from  their  shoulders  packed  them  under  their 
arms.  Yet  they  appeared  to  be  actuated  by 
curiosity  alone. 

Only  one  of  them  had  a  gun ;  the  rest  were 
armed  with  bows  and  arrows  and  tomahawks. 
Upon  reaching  us,  they  pressed  round  us,  fin 
gering  our  different  articles  of  dress  with  much 
curiosity,  though  without  any  appearance  of 
hostility. 

At  length  a  tall,  thin  fellow  took  hold  of 
Wolf's  yager. 

"No  you  don't,  stranger!"  shouted  Wolf, 
jerking  the  gun  from  his  grasp,  with  the  look 
of  a  nettled  bull.  At  the  same  time  he  whirled 
the  Indian  off,  with  a  violence  that  fairly  made 
him  spin. 

"  Keep  off,  you  red  devils,"  said  he,  stepping 
back.  "  I  want  none  of  your  neighborship'' 
Seizing  his  gun  by  the  breech,  he  whirled  it 
around  with  a  violence  which  caused  the  In 
dians  to  draw  back,  and  cleared  a  small  circle 
around  him. 

Just  then  the  chief  of  the  party  rode  up. 
He  spoke  a  few  words,  which  caused  them  to 
draw  off ;  then  walking  his  horse  up  to  us,  he 
cordially  shook  hands  with  all.  He  was  an 


66  The  Party  of  Sac  Indians. 

old  man,  dressed  in  Indian  style,  with  the  ex 
ception  of  a  plaid  handkerchief  tied  round  his 
head.  Upon  the  top  of  this  was  mounted  a 
broad-brimmed  black  hat  overshadowing  a  lit 
tle  dried-up,  French-looking  face. 

Agreeable  as  his  presence  was  at  that  mo 
ment,  there  was  but  little  about  him  to  justify 
the  idea  we  had  formed  of  the  leader  of  a  band 
of  savages ;  and  there  were  many  nobler  men 
in  his  troop. 

As  they  stood  in  a  large  circle  around  us, 
half  naked,  I  think  I  had  never  before  beheld 
so  many  finely  formed  men.  It  seemed  strange 
that  they  should  be  at  the  command  of  such  a 
miserable-looking  leader. 

While  we  were  standing  thus,  a  shout  from 
one  of  them  attracted  the  attention  of  the 
whole  band. 

The  next  moment  the  unwieldy  wagons 
came  in  sight  toiling  over  a  distant  ridge,  fol 
lowed  by  the  light  wagons  and  the  soldiers. 

At  this  discovery  the  Indians  scampered 
towards  them,  and  in  a  short  time  were  clus 
tering  round  the  vehicles.  They  remained 
there  about  half  an  hour,  and  then  resumed 
their  journey  along  the  prairie. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

The  Journey — Saline  River. 

\  NOTHER  week  had  elapsed,  but  we  were 
^/~~\.  still  on  our  journey. 

With  the  exception  of  the  Sacs  and  Foxes 
we  had  met  no  Indians. 

Our  travelling  was  slow,  for  at  times  we  came 
to  streams  whose  banks  had  to  be  dug  away 
to  render  them  passable  for  wagons. 

Bushes  had  to  be  cut  down  and  thrown  in 
the  river  to  form  a  footing  for  the  teams,  and 
to  prevent  their  miring,  and  the  whole  twelve 
oxen  were  often  yoked  to  one  of  the  heavy 
wagons  to  drag  it  up  the  roadway  which  had 
been  dug. 

Their  efforts  were  accompanied  by  shouts 
and  yells  on  the  part  of  the  teamsters,  who 
were  under  the  charge  of  a  strapping  back 
woodsman  who  yelled  louder  than  any  of  them. 

Upon  being  remonstrated  with  for  his  noise 
and  language  he  replied  : 
67 


68          The  Journey — Saline  River. 

"  I  have  drove  oxen  since  Adam  was  a  kit 
ten,  and  when  an  ox  has  a  hard  pull  to  make, 
the  louder  I  yell,  the  harder  he  pulls." 

We  struck  the  Platte '  River  about  forty 
miles  from  the  Otoe  village ;  then  taking  a 
westerly  direction,,  we  followed  the  course  of 
this  powerful  tributary  of  the  Missouri. 

On  the  first  night,  our  camp  was  upon  a  high 
bank  of  the  Saline,  a  river  which  flows  through 
the  prairie  until  it  empties  into  the  Platte. 

During  the  spring  of  every  year  moisture 
exudes  from  the  soil  near  its  source,  covering 
the  prairie  for  the  distance  of  many  miles. 

This  is  dried  up  by  the  heat  of  summer,  and 
leaves  in  its  place  a  thick  incrustation  of  salt. 

This  in  turn  is  dissolved  by  successive  rains 
and  carried  into  the  Saline  River,  giving  to  its 
water  the  brackish  taste,  from  which  it  has  de 
rived  its  name.  There  is  a  barrenness  around 

1  The  Indian  name  for  La  Platte  is  Nebraska,  signifying 
the  shallow  river  ;  as  also  the  word  Niagara  signifies  the 
broken  river.  This  last  word  might  lead  to  a  pretty  correct 
conclusion  as  to  the  meaning  of  the  name  Niagara,  given  to 
the  celebrated  river  and  falls  connecting  Lake  Erie  with  On 
tario  ;  for  the  word  is  the  same  among  several  of  the  differ 
ent  tribes,  who,  though  they  now  dwell  in  the  "  Far  West," 
may  nevertheless  have  once  roamed  in  the  neighborhood  of 
our  Eastern  waters. 


The  Journey — Saline  River.         69 

the  stream,  contrasting  strongly  with  the  other 
rivers  that  grace  the  prairie.  Around  them  is 
always  a  rich  forest  of  the  deepest  green,  and 
every  thing  marks  the  luxuriance  of  the  soil, 
and  the  nourishment  yielded  by  the  streams  to 
the  lofty  trees  which  hang  over  their  waters. 

But  the  Saline  has  no  groves  to  fringe  its 
banks.  Here  and  there  a  huge  dead  tree  may 
be  seen  leaning  over  its  surface,  or  lying  pros 
trate  in  the  water  which  gurgles  around  its 
branches. 

Altogether  it  was  the  most  cheerless  camp 
ing  ground  that  we  met  with,  and  to  add  to 
our  discomforts  the  mosquitoes  swarmed  about 
us  in  clouds,  and  were  much  more  attentive 
than  agreeable. 

I  strolled  some  distance  down  the  stream, 
pattering  my  rifle  bullets  on  the  water,  to  the 
great  annoyance  of  several  ducks  who  were 
quietly  dozing  upon  its  surface,  and  some 
sprawling  terrapins  who  were  floating  down  the 
stream. 

A  loud  hail  from  the  camp,  and  the  voice  of 
Mordecai  announcing  that  supper  was  ready, 
recalled  me  to  the  spot. 

My    fellow     travellers    had     already    com- 


70          The  Journey — Saline  River. 

menced,  with  knives  of  all  sizes  and  descrip 
tions,  and  the  venison  disappeared  like  magic, 
before  their  reiterated  attacks. 

Though  at  all  times  very  well  qualified  to 
play  a  conspicuous  part,  in  work  of  that  de 
scription,  they  were  now  more  than  usually  fit 
ted  for  the  task,  owing  to  their  eating  only  two 
meals  a  day — one  at  sunrise  and  one  at  sunset 
— the  rest  of  the  time  being  occupied  in  our 
journey.  When  we  had  finished,  the  sun  had 
set,  and  the  stars  were  glimmering  in  the  sky. 
Our  party  collected  round  a  fire  of  blazing 
logs,  and  our  guide  having  lighted  his  pipe, 
related  to  us  a  tale,  of  which  the  following  is 
the  purport. 

About  forty  miles  above  the  spot  where 
we  are  now  encamped,  lie  the  great  salt  plains, 
which  cause  the  brackish  taste  of  the  Saline 
River. 

In  one  part  of  these  plains  is  said  to  be  a 
large  rock  of  pure  salt  of  dazzling  whiteness, 
and  to  which  is  attached  the  following  legend. 
Many  yeafs  since,  long  before  the  white  set 
tlers  had  crossed  the  Mississippi  River,  a  tribe 
of  Indians  resided  upon  the  Platte,  near  its 
junction  with  the  Saline. 


The  Journey — Saline  River.          71 

Their  head  chief  was  looked  up  to  by  them  as 
a  model  warrior,  for  he  was  fierce  and  unsparing 
in  battle,  and  had  such  a  hankering  for  hostile 
encounter  that  often  alone  he  would  sally  out 
to  pay  a  bloody  visit  to  some  tribe  with  which 
they  might  then  be  at  war. 

His  nation  gloried  in  him  as  their  leader,  but 
shrank  from  intimate  fellowship,  so  that  even 
in  the  midst  of  his  own  people  he  was  alone. 

Yet  there  was  one  who  clung  to  him  and 
loved  him.  It  was  a  beautiful  girl,  and  grace 
ful  as  one  of  the  fawns  of  her  own  prairie. 

She  became  his  wife,  and  he  loved  her  with 
all  the  fierce  energy  of  his  nature. 

It  was  a  new  feeling  to  him  and  stole  like  a 
sunbeam  into  his  grim  heart.  Her  sway  over 
him  became  unbounded,  and  he  was  like  a  tiger 
tamed. 

But  this  did  not  last  long.  She  died,  and  he 
buried  her.  He  returned  to  his  lodge,  and  for 
bade  all  entrance.  The  morning  came,  and 
with  its  earliest  dawn  he  left  the  lodge.  He 
had  put  on  his  war  paint,  and  was  fully 
armed. 

He  took  no  notice  of  those  around  him,  but 
walked  gloomily  to  the  spot  where  his  wife  was 


72          The  Journey — Saline  River. 

buried.  He  paused  for  a  moment  over  the 
grave,  then  turning  on  his  heel,  strode  across  the 
prairie. 

After  the  lapse  of  a  month  he  returned  to 
his  village,  laden  with  scalps.  He  tarried  but 
a  day,  and  again  set  out  alone.  A  week 
elapsed,  and  he  again  returned,  bringing  with 
him  a  lump  of  white  salt.  In  a  few  words  he 
told  his  tale. 

He  had  travelled  many  miles  over  the  prairie. 
It  was  night ;  he  was  weary,  and  threw  him 
self  on  the  grass.  He  had  not  slept  long  when 
he  was  awakened  by  the  low  wailing  of  a  voice 
near  him.  He  started  up,  and  by  the  light  of 
the  moon  beheld  an  old  hag  brandishing  a 
tomahawk  over  the  head  of  a  young  female, 
who  was  kneeling,  imploring  mercy. 

The  warrior  wondered  how  two  women 
could  be  at  this  spot,  alone,  and  at  that  hour 
of  the  night,  for  there  was  no  village  within 
forty  miles  of  the  place.  There  could  be  no 
hunting  party  near,  or  he  would  have  discov 
ered  it. 

He  approached  them,  but  they  seemed  un 
conscious  of  his  presence.  The  young  female, 
finding  her  prayers  unheeded,  sprang  up  and 


The  Journey — Saline  River.         73 

made  a  desperate  attempt  to  get  possession  of 
the  tomahawk.  A  struggle  ensued,  but  the 
old  woman  was  victorious.  Twisting  one  hand 
in  the  long  black  hair  of  her  victim,  she 
raised  the  weapon  in  her  other  and  prepared  to 
strike. 

The  face  of  the  young  female  was  turned  to 
the  light,  and  the  warrior  beheld  with  horror 
the  features  of  his  deceased  wife. 

In  an  instant  he  sprang  forward  and  buried 
his  tomahawk  in  the  skull  of  the  old  squaw. 
But  ere  he  had  time  to  clasp  the  form  of  his 
wife,  the  ground  opened,  both  sank  from  his 
sight,  and  on  the  spot  where  they  had  stood 
appeared  a  rock  of  white  salt.  He  had  broken 
a  piece  from  it,  and  brought  it  to  his  tribe. 

This  tradition  is  still  current  among  the 
Indians  who  frequent  that  portion  of  the 
country.  They  also  imagine  that  the  rock  is 
still  under  custody  of  the  old  squaw,  and  that 
the  only  way  to  obtain  a  portion  of  it  is  to 
attack  her.  For  this  reason,  before  attempt 
ing  to  collect  salt,  they  beat  the  ground  with 
clubs  and  tomahawks,  and  each  blow  is  con 
sidered  as  inflicted  upon  the  person  of  the  hag. 
The  ceremony  is  continued  until  they  imagine 


74          The  Journey — Saline  River. 

she  has  been  sufficiently  belabored  to  resign 
her  treasure  without  opposition. 

This  superstition,  though  privately  ridiculed 
by  the  chiefs  of  the  different  tribes,  is  devoutly 
credited  by  the  rabble. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

The  Otoe  Messengers — An  Otoe  Warrior — The 
lot  an  Chief. 

ON  the  afternoon  following  we  encamped 
within  ten  miles  of  the  Otoe  village. 
Several  times  during  the  day  we  had  observed 
Indians  watching  us  from  a  distance,  but  they 
had  disappeared  upon  being  seen,  nor  did  any 
of  them  seem  disposed  to  approach  nearer. 
We  encamped  on  a  small  knoll.  At  its  foot  a 
meagre  run  of  water  was  struggling  through 
the  grass,  while  a  line  of  tall,  rank  weeds 
marked  its  course,  as  it  found  its  way  through 
the  different  hollows.  A  solitary  tree  grew 
over  a  small  pool,  and  a  clump  of  wild  plum 
trees  clustered  around  its  trunk.  With  these 
exceptions  there  was  not  a  tree  nor  a  bush  in 
sight. 

At  a  little  distance  was  the  site  of  a  deserted 
Indian  village.     It  had  been   uninhabited  for 
many  years,  and  the  spots  where  the  lodges 
75 


76  The  Otoe  Messengers. 

once  stood  were  overgrown  with  weeds  and 
creeping  vines.  Near  by  was  a  burial-ground, 
which  had  not  been  used  for  many  years. 

Tall  weeds  grew  upon  the  mounds,  and  a 
frightened  prairie-hen  started  up  as  we  walked 
among  them. 

We  had  scarcely  put  up  the  largest  tent, 
when  the  loud  cry,  "Indian  ahead!"  was 
called  out  by  one  of  the  soldiers. 

The  savage  was  on  a  hill  about  five  hundred 
yards  distant,  mounted  upon  a  small  black 
horse. 

He  wore  a  scarlet  blanket  and  carried  a  long 
spear.  He  sat  for  a  long  time  watching  our 
movements,  then  thumping  his  heels  into  the 
sides  of  his  horse,  he  galloped  up  to  the  tent. 

Here  he  dismounted,  and  turning  his  horse 
loose,  walked  up  to  Major  Dougherty,  whom 
he  had  met  before,  and  saluted  him  with  the 
usual  Indian  salutation  of  "How  !  how!  "  ut 
tered  from  the  bottom  of  his  chest. 

His  dress  was  very  scanty.  A  pair  of  rough 
leggins  were  drawn  over  his  legs,  and  a  piece 
of  blue  cloth  was  secured  around  his  hips. 
The  rest  of  his  body  was  unclothed,  unless  the 
red  blanket,  which  most  of  the  time  lay  on  the 


The  Otoe  Messengers.  77 

ground  at  his  feet,  might  be  considered  part 
of  his  apparel. 

The  chief  of  the  Otoe  village  had  been 
apprised  of  our  approach,  and  had  sent  him  to 
watch  lest  we  should  come  upon  the  town 
before  it  was  prepared  for  our  reception. 

He  hung  about  the  tent  for  some  time,  say 
ing  little ;  but  we  could  see  that  his  dark  eyes 
were  moving  with  restless  activity  in  all  direc 
tions,  so  that  he  might  know  what  report  to 
make  as  to  our  appearance  and  number. 

Then,  having  received  a  few  presents  for  the 
chief,  and  one  or  two  for  himself,  he  caught 
the  end  of  the  buffalo-skin  halter,  which, 
though  secured  to  the  neck  of  his  horse,  was 
long  enough  to  trail  twenty  feet  after  him,  and 
with  a  sudden  jerk  brought  the  animal  to  him, 
and  sprang  upon  his  back. 

He  had  hardly  mounted  before  another  In 
dian  appeared  on  an  opposite  hill  and  galloped 
up.  He  exchanged  a  slight  salutation  with  the 
first  comer,  and  passing  him  shook  hands  with 
Dougherty.  There  was  more  cordiality  about 
him  than  we  had  observed  in  the  other. 

Upon  reaching  the  tent  he  signified  his  in 
tention  to  remain  during  the  night,  and  accord- 


78  The  Otoe  Messengers. 

ingly  turned  his  horse  loose ;  and  lighting 
his  pipe,  wrapped  his  blanket  round  him, 
and,  with  a  prudent  eye  to  the  future,  seated 
himself  near  the  fire,  watching  the  cook  who 
was  preparing  supper. 

The  other  started  off  towards  the  village, 
and  in  a  short  time  was  out  of  sight. 

The  next  day  was  bright  and  clear,  and  we 
started  for  the  Otoe  village.  Our  journey  lay 
for  the  whole  distance  along  the  borders  of  the 
Platte.  It  was  a  soft  golden  morning,  the 
water  sparkling  and  bubbling  along  its  broad 
channel.  The  river  was  studded  with  islands 
teeming  with  verdure  and  tinted  with  all  the 
various  hues  of  autumn.  The  prairie  grass  was 
bending  beneath  the  dew-drops,  which  hung 
like  strings  of  crystal  upon  its  withering  blades. 

The  wagons  were  now  kept  close  together. 

The  party,  which  during  the  first  part  of  the 
journey  had  straggled  apart,  was  collected. 

Our  Otoe  friend  rode  in  front,  accompanied 
by  Major  Dougherty. 

We  had  travelled  several  miles,  when  an 
other  Indian  galloped  up.  He  was  one  of 
the  principal  braves  of  the  tribe.  He  was  com 
pletely  naked,  with  the  exception  of  a  piece  of 


The  Otoe  Messengers.  79 

cloth  around  his  hips.  His  head  was  shaven, 
and  to  the  scalp-lock  hung  an  ornament  of  deer's 
hair,  resembling  the  crest  of  an  ancient  helmet. 
His  whole  person — head,  face,  and  body — was 
covered  with  vermilion,  and  at  a  few  yards' 
distance  he  looked  as  if  he  had  been  skinned. 

But  notwithstanding  his  bloody  appearance, 
his  countenance,  though  pale  and  grave,  had  a 
mild  expression  not  usually  met  with  among 
the  Indians  ;  and  when  he  spoke,  his  voice  was 
like  soft  music. 

He  was  a  favorite  with  most  of  the  traders 
in  that  part  of  the  country,  on  account  of  his 
generous  character. 

He  came  to  give  us  directions  as  to  our 
course,  and  joined  our  party  to  show  us  the 
way. 

We  had  arrived  within  a  short  distance  of  the 
village,  though  as  yet  it  was  hidden  from  sight 
by  a  high  bluff,  when  suddenly  a  horseman 
galloped  over  the  hills  and  came  towards  us. 

The  cry  of  "The  lotan!"  burst  from  several 
who  knew  him,  and  in  a  few  moments  this  re 
doubtable  chief  was  at  our  side.  He  had 
brought  into  service  the  whole  of  a  wardrobe 
which  he  had  received  from  the  whites. 


8o  The  Otoe  Messengers. 

His  long  hair  was  bound  up  by  a  band  of 
grizzly-bear  skin.  Around  his  neck  hung  a 
necklace  of  the  claws  of  the  same  animal ;  and 
what  was  of  more  importance,  in  his  own  esti 
mation,  he  wore  a  long  surtout  coat,  of  blue 
cloth,  adorned  with  red  facings  and  enormous 
ly  large  brass  buttons,  and  garnished  upon 
each  shoulder  with  a  pair  of  tarnished  silver 
epaulettes. 

From  beneath  the  skirts  of  the  coat  stuck 
out  two  bare  legs  ;  and  a  pair  of  coarse  mocca 
sins  of  buffalo  hide  completed  his  outward  rig. 

There  was  a  look  of  comic  slyness  around 
the  eyes  of  this  chief,  united  with  an  irascible 
twinkle,  which  bespoke  a  disposition  habitually 
good-natured,  but  prone  to  gusts  of  passion. 

The  most  prominent  feature  of  his  face,  how 
ever,  had  suffered  mutilation.  The  end  of  his 
nose  was  gone.  I  was  curious  to  learn  whether 
this  singular  wound  had  been  received  in  bat 
tle  or  private  brawl  ;  and  my  inquiries  made 
me  acquainted  with  a  strange  tale  of  Indian 
revenge.  There  are  a  dozen  different  versions 
of  the  story  in  circulation  among  the  traders 
and  trappers,  but,  as  far  as  I  could  ascertain, 
the  following  is  the  most  correct. 


CHAPTER    X. 
lotan  and  His  Brother  —  Indian  Revenge. 


EVERAL  years  before  the  lotan  became 
Chief  of  the  Otoes  he  lost  his  nose  in  a 
drunken  carouse  in  which  nearly  all  of  the 
tribe  took  part. 

By  some  means  or  other  they  had  become 
possessed  of  a  large  quantity  of  whiskey,  and 
were  so  elated  at  being  the  owners  of  an  arti 
cle  so  much  prized,  that  they  determined  to 
have  a  national  celebration  of  the  event. 

The  appointed  day  came  round,  and  there 
was  no  delinquency  in  their  attendance. 

The  squaws  were  not  permitted  to  take  any 
part  in  the  ceremony,  lest  they  might  not  be 
able  to  look  after  their  husbands,  who,  under 
the  circumstances,  were  not  expected  to  be 
able  to  take  care  of  themselves. 

Weapons  of  all  kinds  were  removed,  as  the 
Indians  were  fully  aware  of  their  own  ungov 
ernable  nature  when  under  the  influence  of 
Si 


82  Indian  Revenge. 

liquor,  and  took  this  precaution  to  guard  against 
bloodshed. 

The  carouse  commenced  in  a  lodge  selected 
for  the  occasion,  and  before  long  it  resounded 
with  shouts  and  yells,  and  from  cries  the  sav 
ages  got  to  personal  encounter. 

In  this  stage  of  the  riot  the  lotan  and  his 
brother  had  a  scuffle.  They  grappled  and 
rolled  upon  the  ground.  In  the  frenzy  of 
strife  and  intoxication,  his  brother  bit  off  the 
end  of  the  nose  of  the  lotan,  and  instantly 
extricating  himself,  rushed  out  of  the  lodge. 

The  lotan  was  perfectly  sobered  ;  he  paused 
for  a  moment,  looking  intently  in  the  fire, 
without  uttering  a  word  ;  then  drawing  his 
blanket  over  his  head,  walked  out  of  the  build 
ing  and  hid  himself  in  his  own  lodge.  On  the 
following  morning  he  sought  his  brother,  and 
told  him  that  he  had  disfigured  him  for  life. 
"  To-night,"  said  he  "  I  will  go  to  my  lodge 
and  sleep.  If  I  can  forgive  you  when  the  sun 
rises  you  are  safe  ;  if  not,  you  die."  He  kept 
his  word  ;  he  slept  upon  his  purpose ;  but 
sleep  brought  not  mercy.  He  sent  word  to 
his  brother  that  he  had  resolved  upon  his 
death,  that  there  was  no  further  hope  for  him  ; 


Indian  Revenge.  83 

at  the  same  time  he  besought  him  to  make  no 
resistance,  but  to  meet  his  fate  as  a  warrior 
should. 

His  brother  received  the  message  and  fled 
from  the  village.  An  Indian  is  untiring  in  his 
pursuit  of  revenge,  and  though  years  may 
elapse,  yet  he  will  obtain  it  in  the  end. 

The  brother  kept  out  of  his  way  for  a  long 
time  ;  but  one  day  as  the  lotan  was  in  the 
woods,  he  heard  the  noise  of  a  twig  breaking 
beneath  a  cautious  footstep.  He  crouched  be 
hind  a  log  and  watched.  An  Indian  emerged 
from  the  thicket,  and  gazed  cautiously  around. 
The  lotan  recognized  his  brother.  His  care 
worn  face  and  emaciated  form  evinced  the 
anxiety  and  privations  that  he  had  undergone. 
But  this  was  nothing  to  the  lotan  ;  as  yet  his 
revenge  was  unsated,and  the  miserable  appear 
ance  of  his  brother  brought  no  mercy.  He 
waited  until  he  was  within  a  few  feet  of  him  ; 
then  rose  up,  and  met  him  face  to  face.  His 
brother  was  unarmed,  but  met  his  fiery  look 
without  flinching. 

"  Brother,"  said  the  lotan,  cocking  his  rifle, 
"  I  have  followed  you  long  in  vain  ;  now  I  have 
found  you,  you  must  die." 


84  Indian  Revenge. 

The  other  made  no  reply ;  but  throwing  off 
his  blanket,  stepped  up  to  him  and  presented 
his  breast.  The  lotan  shot  him  through  the 
heart. 

His  revenge  was  gratified  ;  but  from  that 
hour  a  change  came  over  him.  He  became 
gloomy  and  morose  ;  shunned  his  fellow-men, 
and  roamed  the  woods,  where  he  was  nearly 
driven  to  suicide  by  his  feelings  of  remorse. 

Many  years  elapsed  before  he  recovered 
from  the  deep  anguish  caused  by  this  unnatu 
ral  act  of  vengeance. 


CHAPTER  XL 
The  Reception — The  Town. 

MANY  years  after  this  the  lotan  was  ap 
pointed  chief  of  the  Otoe  tribe  ;  and 
his  after  conduct  fully  justified  the  choice  of 
the  nation. 

He  was  skilful  in  devising  and  planning  war 
parties,  and  desperate  and  daring  in  leading 
them.  And  although  now  well  stricken  in 
years,  there  is  no  warrior  more  -constantly  on 
the  war-path,  and  when  it  comes  to  the  deadly 
struggle,  no  arm  falls  heavier  upon  their  foes 
than  that  of  the  lotan  chief. 

The  old  warrior  welcomed  us  cordially,  then 
turning  round  he  rode  with  us  in  the  direction 
of  his  village.  While  he  was  speaking  with  the 
Commissioner,  several  Indians  had  clambered 
upon  a  high  bluff  to  watch  our  movements. 

Suddenly  the  lotan  galloped  towards  them 
and  waved  his  arm,  uttering  a  long,  shrill 
whoop. 

85 


86  The  Reception —  The  Town. 

It  was  answered  by  those  on  the  hill ;  who 
commenced  whirling  their  blankets  around 
their  heads. 

While  we  were  in  doubt  as  to  the  meaning 
of  the  manoeuvre,  a  loud  roar  rose  from  behind 
the  bluff,  and  a  troop  of  horsemen  burst  round 
its  base,  and  came  pouring  down  upon  us. 

There  must  have  been  several  hundred  of 
them. 

Every  man  was  naked,  but  glaring  with 
paint. 

They  dashed  onward,  with  loud  yells,  bran 
dishing  their  spears,  and  whirling  their  toma 
hawks.  It  seemed  as  if  old  Pluto  had  given  a 
holiday,  and  that  his  crew  were  careering 
around  us,  under  the  forms  of  these  snorting 
steeds  and  their  wilder  masters. 

The  old  chief  sat  like  a  statue. 

I  looked  around  upon  our  little  band  ;  there 
were  several  lowering  brows  and  tightly  com 
pressed  lips,  and  the  fingers  of  two  or  three 
were  on  their  gun  triggers.  They  were  not  ac 
customed  to  Indian  welcome,  and  to  them,  all 
this  long  parade  of  yelling  warriors  wore  a 
menacing  appearance. 

The  band  was  close  upon  us,  when  at  a  sig- 


The  Reception —  The  Town.          8  7 

nal  from  the  lotan  they  separated,  and  gal 
loped  around  us  in  an  inner  and  outer  circle, 
riding  in  opposite  directions. 

The  old  chief  smiled  with  an  air  of  grim  sat 
isfaction,  as  he  observed  the  effect  produced 
by  his  warriors  ;  then  with  a  loud  whoop,  he 
joined  in  the  wild  mele"e. 

It  was  a  very  helter-skelter  ride,  as  far  as 
the  Indians  were  concerned.  Several  were  un 
horsed,  and  scrambled  from  beneath  the  horses' 
feet  as  well  as  they  could. 

Fortunately  none  seemed  to  be  hurt,  but 
caught  their  animals,  mounted  them,  and 
joined  again  in  the  general  uproar. 

After  this  scene  of  hubbub  and  confusion 
had  continued  for  about  fifteen  minutes,  the 
troop  ceased  its  clamor,  and  formed  in  a  large 
circle  round  us,  with  their  horses'  heads  towards 
the  party.  Presently  this  ring  opened,  and  was 
extended  in  two  lines,  through  which  a  band  of 
warriors  advanced,  keeping  time  to  a  long,  sol 
emn  chant,  sung  by  the  whole  troop,  and  ac 
companied  by  a  kind  of  drum.  This  band  was 
formed  of  the  flower  of  the  Indian  village. 

None  were  admitted  except  those  who  could 
boast  of  having  taken  a  certain  number  of 


88  The  Reception —  The  Town. 

scalps,  or  of  having  performed  an  equally  hon 
orable  service,  in  stealing  a  large  number  of 
horses. 

They  were  highly  ornamented  ;  paint  of 
every  hue  was  laid  upon  their  bodies.  Their 
heads  were  decorated  with  feathers.  Long 
strings  of  wampum  hung  from  their  necks 
and  ears.  Each  bore  a  calumet  adorned  with 
feathers  and  tinkling  bells.  Some  wore  glit 
tering  armlets  and  collars  of  tin.  Their 
heads  were  shaven,  and  covered  with  vermil 
ion,  and  from  the  top  of  each  hung  a  scalp 
lock,  generally  adorned  with  an  eagle's  plume. 
As  much  care  had  been  bestowed  upon  the 
horses  as  upon  their  riders,  and  they  had  been 
selected  from  the  whole  village.  They  now 
moved  forward  with  proud  step,  as  if  con 
scious  of  the  haughty  character  of  those  who 
guided  them  ;  but  this  was  as  much  owing  to 
the  horsemanship  of  the  riders  as  to  the  spirit 
of  the  animals  themselves  ;  for  there  is  no  class 
of  people  better  able  to  show  off  the  points  of 
a  horse  than  the  Indians,  who  live  in  the 
saddle  almost  from  childhood. 

The  band  moved  slowly  around  us  inside  of 
the  circle,  still  keeping  up  their  loud  and  not  in- 


The  Reception —  The  Town.          89 

harmonious  song,  which  we  afterwards  learned 
was  in  praise  of  the  whites — that  is,  of  their 
liberality. 

At  length  the  lotan  gave  a  signal,  and  the 
troop  fell  back  into  the  general  crowd,  after 
which  he  and  several  of  the  principal  chiefs 
seating  themselves  on  the  grass,  near  us,  pro 
duced  their  pipes  and  began  to  smoke. 

Presently  the  lotan  advanced  to  the  Com 
missioner  and  Major  Dougherty,  and  drawing 
a  few  whiffs  from  his  pipe,  presented  it  to  them 
in  turn. 

Each  drew  a  few  whiffs  and  handed  it  back 
to  him. 

The  lotan  then  made  a  short  address,  and 
returned  to  his  seat. 

Major  Dougherty  informed  us  that  by  this 
"  smoke  and  speech  "  he  and  the  Commissioner 
had  each  been  presented  with  a  horse. 

Several  other  chiefs  and  braves  followed  the 
example  of  the  lotan,  and  by  the  time  they 
had  got  through  these  smoking  performances, 
the  Commissioner  and  Major  Dougherty  were 
each  the  prospective  owner  of  five  or  six 
horses. 

I  may  add  here,  that  when  the  fulfilment  of 


90          The  Reception —  The  Town. 

these  promises  was  carried  out  several  days 
afterwards,  on  the  part  of  some  of  the  minor 
braves,  a  great  deal  of  the  enthusiasm  which 
led  to  the  gifts  had  evaporated,  and  the  old, 
the  halt,  and  the  blind  were  among  the  horses 
which  found 'their  way  to  our  tents  as  presents 
to  the  Commissioner  and  Indian  Agent. 

On  a  future  occasion  of  a  similar  kind,  at 
another  tribe,  an  enthusiastic  brave  who  had 
promised  beyond  his  means,  seized  the  occa 
sion  to  visit  a  friend  who  lived  in  a  village 
about  thirty  miles  off,  taking  his  horse  with 
him.  We  never  heard  of  him  or  his  present 
afterwards. 

As  soon  as  the  ceremony  of  "  smoking 
horses  "  to  their  guests  had  been  ended,  an  old 
Indian  who  was  notorious  for  being  the  great 
est  thief,  and  for  having  killed  more  men  than 
any  other  in  the  village,  rose  up  to  boast  of 
what  he  had  done  in  his  former  days,  and  to 
let  us  know  that  he  was  not  a  man  to  be  over 
looked — a  thing  which  seemed  very  likely  to 
happen  in  the  bustle  which  prevailed.  He 
was  a  lean  and  shrivelled  old  fellow,  but  his 
strength  must  have  been  great  in  his  prime, 
for  every  muscle  rose  like  a  rope  upon  his 


The  Reception —  The  Town.          9 1 

withered  frame.  He  spoke  for  about  fifteen 
minutes,  and  then  drew  back. 

When  he  had  concluded,  another  old  man 
rose  up,  and  in  like  manner  vaunted  his  former 
exploits,  many  of  which  savored  strongly  of 
the  marvellous.  These  speeches  were  trans 
lated  with  great  gravity  by  the  interpreter, 
who,  to  confirm  our  wavering  belief,  took  an 
opportunity  of  whispering  into  our  ears  that, 
"  in  boasting  of  his  exploits,  an  Indian  was 
always  scrupulous  in  adhering  to  the  truth." 
This  was  perfectly  convincing,  and  while  he 
travelled  along  within  the  verge  of  possibility, 
we  were  resolved  to  give  credence  to  all  that 
he  uttered. 

After  we  had  listened  to  a  few  more  of  these 
worthies,  and  had  smoked  a  few  pipes  of  kin- 
ne-ka-neek  with  the  different  chiefs,  the  party 
prepared  to  move  towards  the  town. 

In  crossing  the  prairie,  which  separated  us 
from  the  village,  our  course  was  stopped  by 
a  deep  gulley,  which  about  a  dozen  squaws 
were  engaged  in  filling  with  bushes  and  weeds, 
to  render  it  passable  for  the  heavy  wagons. 
While  this  was  going  on,  the  old  Indian  who 
had  first  delivered  his  address,  came  up  at  a 


92  The  Reception — The  Town. 

gallop.  He  did  not  pause  at  the  hollow,  but 
probably  for  the  purpose  of  showing  off  his 
horsemanship  dashed  down  into  it.  His  horse 
made  a  vigorous  spring  up  the  opposite  bank, 
but  lost  his  footing  on  the  slippery  verge,  and 
after  a  desperate  scrambling,  rolled  with  his 
rider  floundering  in  the  mud  at  the  bottom. 

There  was  a  shout  of  laughter  at  his  expense. 
For  a  moment  he  stood  glaring  about  him ; 
then  raising  his  withered  arm,  he  shook  it  at 
the  crowd,  and  yelled  out  something  which  we 
could  not  understand,  but  which  caused  all  the 
Indians  to  laugh  louder  than  ever. 

Having  thus  given  vent  to  his  anger,  he 
sprang  upon  his  horse,  scrambled  up  the  bank, 
and  galloped  to  the  village. 

A  large  concourse  of  women  and  children 
followed  the  party,  and  clustered  like  bees 
around  the  heavy  wagons. 

In  about  an  hour  we  passed  through  the 
town,  and  selected  a  small  hill,  at  about  five 
hundred  yards'  distance,  as  our  camping  ground. 
The  heavy  wagons  were  drawn  up ;  the  tents 
were  pitched  around  them,  and  the  horses  and 
oxen  being  released  from  their  yokes,  were 
sent  off  to  a  thick  grove  of  trees  at  a  short 


The  Reception —  The  Town.          93 

distance,  where  the  wild  pea  vines  afforded 
ample  fodder. 

The  Otoe  village  is  situated  upon  a  ridge  of 
hills  overlooking  the  Platte  River,  which  is 
about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  distant.  There  is  but 
little  beauty  or  neatness  about  an  Indian  town. 

The  lodges  are  built  in  the  shape  of  a  half 
egg.  They  frequently  are  twenty  feet  in 
height,  and  sometimes  sixty  in  diameter. 
The  roofs  are  formed  of  long  poles,  which  di 
verge  like  the  radii  of  a  circle,  from  one  com 
mon  centre.  The  outer  ring  of  the  circle  is 
formed  of  upright  posts,  driven  closely  together 
in  the  ground,  and  projecting  upward  about 
five  feet.  These  are  interwoven  with  brush 
wood  and  the  smaller  branches  of  trees,  and 
form  the  support  of  the  outer  end  of  the  poles 
composing  the  roof,  the  interstices  of  which 
are  also  interwoven  with  twigs  and  brushwood. 
The  whole  is  then  covered  with  earth,  and 
when  finished  resembles  a  large  hillock.  The 
town  contained  about  seventy  of  these  lodges, 
standing  singly  or  in  groups,  without  any 
attention  to  order  or  regularity. 

Within  they  are  capacious  but  dark,  being 
lighted  merely  by  a  small  aperture  at  the  top, 


94  The  Reception —  The  Town. 

which  serves  both  as  window  and  chimney 
The  fire  is  built  in  a  cavity  in  the  centre,  di 
rectly  under  the  hole  in  the  roof,  by  which  the 
smoke  escapes  after  floating  in  easy  wreaths 
about  the  interior. 

As  the  lodges  are  very  spacious,  a  little 
back  from  the  fire  there  is  a  circle  of  tree 
trunks  standing  like  columns,  and  connected 
by  poles  laid  in  their  forks,  forming  a  support 
for  the  roof,  which  otherwise,  from  the  great 
length  of  the  poles  that  form  it,  and  the  heavy 
mass  of  superincumbent  earth,  might  fall  in 
and  bury  the  inhabitants.  Around  the  wall  of 
the  building  are  ranged  cribs  or  berths  for 
sleeping,  screened  from  view  by  heavy  mats  of 
grass  and  rushes.  Over  the  fire  is  inclined  a 
forked  stake,  in  the  hook  of  which  hangs  a 
large  kettle,  generally  filled  with  buffalo  flesh 
and  corn.  This,  to  judge  from  its  looks,  is 
never  removed  from  the  fire,  even  for  the  pur 
pose  of  being  cleansed. 


CHAPTER  XII. 
Indian  Habits — The  Escape. 

WE  had  been  a  week  in  the  village,  and 
had  become  familiar  with  all  the 
antiquated  gossips  of  the  place.  The  old 
warriors  would  stop  to  favor  us  with  some 
joke,  which,  as  in  courtesy  bound,  we  relished 
most  highly ;  though  the  wit  of  it  was  usually 
beyond  our  fathom,  being  hidden  in  the  ar 
cana  of  their  language.  The  old  squaws  would 
hold  us  by  the  button,  and  whine  into  our  ears 
some  lugubrious  tale,  equally  unintelligible. 
The  children  soon  lost  their  shyness. 

All  day  long  they  hung  around  our  tents, 
clad  in  nothing,  teasing  the  black  cook,  or 
frightening  the  oxen.  When  not  thus  en 
gaged,  they  were  scampering  across  the  prairie, 
in  the  enjoyment  of  some  boyish  game.  Here 
and  there,  a  knot  of  them  were  busily  engaged 
in  gambling  for  arrows,  and  discussing  with  the 
greatest  earnestness  the  fairness  and  unfairness 
of  each  cast  of  their  competitor. 

95 


96         Indian  Habits —  The  Escape. 

Our  tents  became  the  gathering  place  where 
the  Indians  collected  to  discuss  the  news  of 
the  day.  Here  they  would  light  their  pipes, 
and  talk  over  deeds  of  former  times ;  of  scalps 
taken — of  horses  stolen — of  buffalo  hunts,  and 
of  hair-breadth  escapes  from  the  Sioux  and 
Osage  Indians.  All  the  incidents  which  fill 
the  desultory  life  of  a  savage  were  discussed  ; 
receiving  their  meed  of  praise  or  censure,  as 
they  deserved  it. 

Among  others  they  spoke  highly  of  a  young 
Indian,  who  was  leaning  listlessly  against  the 
wheel  of  one  of  the  wagons,  gazing,  with  an  air 
of  abstraction,  upon  the  group  around  the 
fire. 

He  was  scarcely  twenty  years  old ;  yet  he 
was  already  a  brave,  and  high  among  the  war 
riors. 

Among  various  things  related  of  him  was 
the  following. 

One  day,  a  few  weeks  before  our  arrival,  he 
was  returning  from  an  unsuccessful  hunt, 
which  had  taken  him  a  great  distance  from 
his  home. 

It  was  near  sunset ;  the  Otoe  had  yet  twenty 
miles  to  travel,  and  it  would  be  nightfall  before 


Indian  Habits —  The  Escape.          9  7 

he  could  reach  his  village  ;  but  he  was  unwill 
ing  to  urge  on  his  weary  horse.  He  therefore 
rode  slowly,  but  from  habit  kept  a  watchful 
eye  over  the  prairie. 

At  last  he  caught  sight  of  several  dark  ob 
jects  upon  the  crest  of  a  distant  hill,  and  pres 
ently  four  mounted  Indians  came  in  full  view. 
They  did  not  see  him,  but  rode  in  the  same 
direction  with  himself.  Supposing  them  to  be 
some  of  his  own  tribe,  he  checked  his  horse, 
and  gave  a  loud  whoop  to  attract  their  notice. 

At  first  they  did  not  hear  him  ;  but  a  second 
hail  brought  them  to  a  halt.  A  consultation 
seemed  to  take  place  ;  after  which  they  changed 
their  course,  and  rode  slowly  towards  him  ;  and 
as  they  were  some  distance  off,  he  dismounted, 
laid  his  rifle  in  the  grass,  and  lighting  his  pipe, 
sat  down  waiting  for  them  to  come  up.  When 
they  drew  nearer  he  discovered,  from  some 
peculiarity  in  their  dress,  that  they  were  not 
Otoes,  but,  as  he  supposed,  Kansas,  who  were 
then  at  peace  with  his  tribe  ;  so  fearing  nothing, 
he  continued  lolling  on  the  grass,  and  smoking. 
But  as  they  came  on,  their  cautious  move 
ments  awakened  suspicion,  and  raising  himself, 
he  watched  them  with  every  sense  on  the  alert, 


98         Indian  Habits —  The  Escape. 

though  he  continued  to  smoke  his  pipe  with 
apparent  tranquillity. 

He  now  perceived  that  they  gradually  sepa 
rated,  as  if  to  surround  him.  Another  glance, 
showed  that  they  were  Osages,  the  deadly  foes 
of  his  tribe.  Dashing  his  pipe  to  the  ground, 
he  bent  forward  to  seize  his  rifle.  It  was  for 
tunate  that  he  did  so ;  for  a  bullet  whizzed  past 
him,  cutting  a  gash  in  his  shoulder. 

In  an  instant  he  sprang  upon  his  horse.  The 
Osage  war  whoop  rang  in  his  ear ;  but  with 
that  daring  that  never  forsakes  an  Indian,  he 
brandished  his  rifle,  and  uttering  an  answering 
war  cry,  dashed  off  like  the  wind.  Every  thing 
depended  upon  the  speed  and  bottom  of  his 
horse. 

Hill  and  hollow  disappeared  behind  him. 
His  enemies  pressed  him  hard,  but  at  a  gallop 
they  could  not  use  their  rifles. 

At  a  distance  was  a  skirt  of  forest,  and  could 
he  but  reach  this,  he  would  be  safe.  His  horse 
was  nearly  broken  down.  The  rider  plied  the 
lash,  the  generous  animal  taxed  his  strength  to 
the  uttermost ;  but  nature  was  exhausted. 

Within  a  quarter  of  a  mile  of  the  forest,  he 
broke  down,  and  his  rider  sprang  from  his  back 


Indian  Habits —  The  Escape.          99 

and  bounded  forward  on  foot.  A  loud  cry 
burst  from  his  pursuers,  as  they  saw  him  aban 
don  his  horse  ;  but  there  was  little  cause  for  the 
shout,  for  his  speed  nearly  equalled  that  of 
their  jaded  steeds. 

He  was  within  about  a  hundred  yards  of  the 
thicket  when,  finding  that  they  could  not  over 
take  him,  the  Osages  halted  and  discharged 
their  pieces,  but  missed  their  mark.  The  Otoe 
turned  half  round  when  on  the  edge  of  the 
bushes,  shook  his  rifle  in  the  air,  and  raising  a 
yell  of  defiance,  plunged  into  the  thicket. 

The  advantage  was  now  on  his  side,  for  the 
Osages  dared  not  approach,  lest  he  should  fire 
upon  them  from  his  covert. 

For  a  short  time  they  rode  up  and  down,  at 
a  distance,  hoping  to  catch  a  glimpse  of  his 
figure,  then  returned  across  the  prairie,  con 
tenting  themselves  with  carrying  off  the  de 
serted  horse. 


CHAPTER   XIII. 
The  Rival  Chiefs — Indian  Feasts. 

BESIDES  the  lotan,  there  are  two  other 
chiefs,  inferior  in  rank,  who  keep  a 
jealous  watch  over  each  other. 

The  Indian  names  of  these  two  worthies,  I 
have  forgotten  ;  but  they  are  known  to  the 
trappers  by  those  of  the  Big  Kaw  (or  Kansas) 
and  the  Thief. 

This  last  name,  no  doubt,  was  deservedly 
earned  by  the  father  of  the  present  possessor ; 
but  in  process  of  time,  the  old  Thief  was  gath 
ered  to  his  fathers,  and  the  young  Thief  reigned 
in  his  stead. 

He  inherited  his  name,  his  worn-out  blan 
kets,  and  so  large  a  number  of  grudges  and 
private  quarrels  that,  in  acting  as  executor  and 
avenging  his  father's  injuries,  years  had  elapsed 
before  he  could  fairly  say  that  the  debts  of  the 
deceased  were  paid  off. 

The  young  Thief  had,  however,  now  become 


The  Rival  Chiefs.  roi 

the  old  Thief.  His  hair  was  silvered  by  age, 
and  he  had  arrived  at  that  period  of  life  which 
old  folks  are  apt  to  call  "  the  years  of  discre 
tion  "  ;  that  is,  he  had  passed  the  prime  of  his 
usefulness,  and  had  reached  that  age  when 
strong  attachments  are  usually  formed  to  easy 
comforts  and  chimney-corners. 

The  Big  Kaw  is  a  short,  thick  Indian,  rather 
good-natured,  but  gifted  with  a  large  supply 
of  mulish  obstinacy,  and  a  temper  like  gun 
powder. 

Oppose  him — flash  ! — he  is  in  a  blaze ;  the 
children  scamper,  the  squaws  scatter,  the 
rabble  vanish. 

The  family  of  this  chief  consists  of  several 
wives,  and  a  son,  who  is  one  of  the  most  intel 
ligent  young  men  in  the  village.  He,  how 
ever,  is  the  very  counterpart  of  the  old  man  in 
disposition ;  and  when  the  two  get  fairly  ex 
cited,  the  village  is  in  an  uproar. 

If  the  quarrel  is  commenced  in  a  lodge,  the 
building  is  usually  vacated  by  the  other  occu 
pants,  until  silence  within  gives  notice  that  the 
storm  has  blown  over.  Upon  these  occasions, 
those  who  return  usually  find  the  old  man 
looking  very  foolish  and  the  son  very  angry. 


1O2  ihe  Rival  Chiefs. 

From  this  it  is  suspected  that  the  former  is 
held  in  subjection  by  his  graceless  offspring. 
Be  that  as  it  may,  the  young  warrior  has  a 
strong  affection  for  his  old  father.  Although 
in  his  anger  he  sometimes  oversteps  the  bounds 
of  propriety  in  his  manner  towards  him,  yet, 
upon  the  whole,  he  is  looked  upon  as  a  model 
son,  particularly  as  he  permits  nobody  to  bully 
his  father  but  himself. 

The  Thief  was  in  every  respect  the  reverse  of 
his  rival.  He  was  tall  and  wiry.  He  was  quiet 
in  all  his  movements,  and  would  sit  for  hours 
in  the  same  posture,  his  eyes  alone  being  busy. 
He  slid  in  and  out  of  our  tent  with  so  noiseless 
a  step,  that  we  were  often  unaware  either  of 
his  presence  or  his  absence. 

The  lotan  chief  is  the  lord  paramount  of  the 
village.  With  that  cunning  for  which  he  is 
noted,  he  contrives,  by  balancing  the  interest 
of  the  two  inferior  chiefs,  to  keep  them  so  con 
stantly  engaged  in  watching  each  other,  that 
they  have  no  time  to  turn  their  attention  to 
himself. 

On  the  day  of  our  arrival  we  were  invited  to 
feast  with  about  half  the  village. 

The  first  lodge  which  we  entered  was  that  of 


The  Rival  Chiefs.  103 

the  lotan.     We  found  him  sitting  cross-legged 
upon  some  cushions  to  receive  us. 

Upon  our  coming  up  to  him,  he  invited 
the  Commissioner  to  a  seat  next  himself. 
Then  turning  to  one  of  his  wives  he  called  for 
the  feast,  which  consisted  of  dried  buffalo  flesh, 
boiled  with  hard  corn.  The  interior  of  his 
abode  wore  but  a  dull,  dingy  look.  The  rafters 
were  almost  hidden  by  the  eddying  clouds  of 
smoke,  lazily  seeking  the  hole  in  the  roof, 
which  served  for  a  chimney. 

This  old  chief  had  divided  his  affections 
among  five  wives.  They  were  seated  in  differ 
ent  parts  of  the  lodge,  engaged  in  pounding 
corn,  or  chattering  over  the  news  of  the 
day.  They  were  evidently  under  little  sub 
jection.  While  we  were  eating,  the  old 
man  took  the  opportunity  to  disburden  his 
heart.  He  confided  to  Dougherty  a  list  of 
their  caprices,  and  the  difficulty  which  he 
found  in  maintaining  a  proper  discipline  where 
there  were  so  many  mistresses  and  but  one 
master. 

Upon  leaving  this  lodge,  we  next  visited 
that  of  the  Big  Kaw.  He  guided  us  himself 
until  we  reached  it,  and  entered  through  its 


104  The  Rival  Chiefs, 

low  funnel-mouthed  door.  We  had  scarcely 
seated  ourselves,  before  we  found  that  we  had 
got  into  warm  quarters.  Dougherty  informed 
us  in  a  low  tone  that  from  what  he  overheard 
the  lady  of  the  house  had  not  expected  visitors, 
and  was  unprepared  for  them. 

There  was  evidently  trouble  in  the  wigwam. 

We  could  read  it  in  her  lowering  eyes,  and 
in  the  look  of  the  Indian,  who  was  very  ill  at 
ease. 

Occasionally  he  cast  towards  his  helpmate  a 
deprecating  glance. 

A  bowl  of  dried  buffalo  flesh  was  placed  be 
fore  us ;  the  viands  being  rather  tough,  drew 
forth  some  remark  from  our  host,  half  facetious, 
half  apologetic.  By  accident  the  squaw  heard 
it,  and  thought  that  it  was  intended  as  a  re 
flection  upon  her.  In  an  instant  she  was  in  a 
blaze,  and  opened  her  artillery  upon  the  chief. 
For  a  moment  he  shrank  under  it ;  and  could 
it  have  been  done  with  credit  to  himself, 
probably  would  have  evacuated  the  field  ; 
but  in  the  present  case  that  was  impossible ; 
and  to  be  thus  harried  by  his  wife  before 
strangers  was  not  to  be  borne,  and  his  touch- 
paper  temper  began  to  take  fire. 


The  Rival  Chiefs.  105 

At  first  it  evinced  itself  only  by  a  few  sulky 
shakes  of  his  head  ;  but  at  last  it  burst  out, 
and  sent  back  shot  for  shot.  This  lasted  for 
some  moments,  carried  on  with  equal  vigor  on 
both  sides,  but  at  length  the  bursts  from  the 
chief  grew  fewer  and  fewer. 

He  was  evidently  preparing  to  bring  an  ar 
gument  which  he  had  not  hitherto  used  into 
the  field,  for  with  a  few  muttered  words  he 
pointed  to  a  large  stick  which  lay  on  the  floor 
and  called  the  attention  of  his  wife  in  that 
direction.  It  is  probable  that  she  understood 
its  meaning,  for  after  a  few  sulky  looks,  and  a 
few  sullen  mutterings,  her  words  ceased  alto 
gether. 

We  remained  but  a  short  time  longer,  and 
after  visiting  the  lodges  of  several  others,  re 
turned  to  our  tents. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

Domestic  Grievances. 

AMONG  our  daily  visitors  were  three  old 
squaws.  Their  gray,  uncombed  hair 
hung  in  thick,  matted  locks  down  to  their 
waists,  and  their  long  skinny  arms,  with  which 
they  coaxingly  patted  us,  resembled  grape 
vines.  These  old  harridans  were  shuffling 
around  all  day  long,  peeping  into  every  hole 
and  cranny.  One  of  them  even  stole  meat 
from  the  frying-pan  while  Mordecai  had  turned 
his  head  to  drive  off  the  other. 

Come  upon  them  when  we  would,  they  were 
always  sure  to  greet  us  with  a  smirking,  half- 
piteous  look,  but  as  soon  as  our  backs  were 
turned  they  were  at  their  old  occupations. 
Indeed  so  constant  was  their  presence,  that 
the  sight  of  one  of  them  moving  off  towards 
the  town  was  the  signal  for  a  general  search  to 
discover  what  we  had  lost,  as  they  seldom 
went  off  without  taking  with  them  some  arti 
cle  which  did  not  belong  to  them. 
106 


Domestic  Grievances.  107 

They  had  taken  a  particular  fancy  to  Jones, 
the  black  cook.  This  unlucky  wight  was  yet 
young  in  years  and  inexperienced  in  the  ways 
of  the  world. 

He  had  a  fond  and  foolish  heart,  and  ac 
knowledged  that  he  always  felt  a  sort  of  sneak 
ing  kindness  for  the  other  sex.  When  dwell 
ing  upon  the  subject  he  used  to  open  his  eyes 
until  the  small  speck  of  a  pupil  was  almost 
lost  in  the  immense  field  of  white,  and  ex 
claim  :  "  I  aint  afeard  of  no  man,  but  I  can't 
stand  the  wimmen." 

To  the  young  urchins  who  intruded  into  his 
domains  he  was  not  so  indulgent,  but  kept  a 
keen  eye  and  a  long  stick  for  their  especial 
benefit. 

This,  however,  only  subjected  him  to  ten 
times  more  annoyance.  They  would  pull 
his  coat-tail,  or  jerk  his  ragged  pantaloons, 
until  they  worked  him  up  into  a  passion. 
Then  their  greatest  delight  was  to  be  hunted 
over  the  green  by  the  Black  Bear  (the  name 
which  he  had  received  among  them). 

He  might  as  well  have  followed  a  cloud. 
They  skipped  and  danced  around  him,  but  al 
ways  beyond  his  reach,  until  exhausted  by  his 


io8  Domestic  Grievances. 

own  lumbering  movements,  he  was  fain  to  give 
out,  and  return  unavenged  to  his  occupations. 
Woe  to  the  unlucky  urchin,  however,  who, 
having  once  been  guilty,  should  venture  at 
any  subsequent  time  within  his  reach.  A 
hearty  cuffing  convinced  him  that  the  memory 
of  the  Black  Bear  was  good,  and  warned  him 
in  future  to  keep  clear  of  so  dangerous  a 
neighborhood. 

During  the  whole  of  our  journey  from  Fort 
Leavenworth  to  the  Otoe  town,  Mordecai  had 
kept  his  fellow-servants  in  a  state  of  constant 
tribulation.  He  gave  such  bloody  accounts  of 
Indians,  and  Indian  murders,  that  they  re 
garded  death  as  almost  inevitable,  and  I  sus 
pect  would  have  deserted  at  the  first  opportu 
nity,  had  there  not  been  more  danger  in  leaving 
than  in  remaining  with  the  party.  When, 
however,  we  had  been  received  by  the  Otoes, 
and  the  danger  was  past,  Mordecai  forgot  his 
tales  of  terror.  He  pretended  to  have  a  fel 
low-feeling  for  the  Otoes.  He  talked  Creek 
to  the  old  women,  who  were  willing  to  listen 
to  any  language  so  they  might  but  remain 
sufficiently  near  the  tents  to  get  an  opportu 
nity  to  steal. 


Domestic  Grievances.  109 

He  regarded  the  children  with  a  kind  of 
parental  eye,  and  thoroughly  discountenanced 
the  thwackings  which  Jones  so  liberally  be 
stowed  upon  them. 

After  we  were  settled  in  our  camp,  the  horses 
which  he  had  driven  were  turned  out  on  the 
prairie  to  feed  with  the  others.  He  then  took 
upon  himself  the  duties  of  cook,  devolving 
upon  Jones  the  less  honorable  employment  of 
cutting  wood  for  fuel.  He  would  stand  by  the 
hour,  with  a  red  flannel  night-cap  stuck  upon 
the  side  of  his  head,  his  butcher-knife  in  one 
hand,  and  his  arm  akimbo,  descanting  upon  the 
arduousness  of  the  office. 

He  had  a  high  opinion  of  his  own  import 
ance,  and  had  no  hesitation  in  saying  that  he 
ranked  next  to  the  Commissioner,  in  the  estima 
tion  of  the  Indians  ;  that  Mr.  Ellsworth  was 
respected  by  the  chiefs  on  account  of  his  hav 
ing  charge  of  the  presents,  but  as  for  himself, 
that  he  was  popular  among  the  vagabonds  of 
the  village,  who  had  no  hope  of  presents,  and 
therefore  were  delighted  to  come  in  for  a  share 
of  the  tit-bits  and  choice  morsels  which  it  was 
in  his  power  to  distribute  while  cooking. 

Notwithstanding  the  altered  tone  of  Morde- 


i  io  Domestic  Grievances. 

cai,  and  the  cordiality  of  our  reception,  there 
was  one  individual  who  remained  inveterate  in 
his  prejudices  against  them. 

This  was  the  French  boy,  Joe.  He  never 
spoke  of  the  Indians  without  some  qualifying 
expression  of  ill-will.  Whenever  any  thing  was 
stolen,  he  at  once  attributed  it  to  them.  Fre 
quently,  however,  his  loud  vociferation  on 
these  occasions  caused  us  strongly  to  suspect 
that  he  was  the  delinquent,  and  that  this 
clamor  of  indignation  was  raised  that  he  might 
escape  unsuspected. 

His  sole  occupation  was  to  spread  the  bear 
skins  at  night,  and  remove  them  in  the  morn 
ing. 

During  the  rest  of  the  day,  he  strolled  about 
abusing  the  Indians,  cracking  his  whip,  or  hal 
looing  at  the  stray  curs  who  were  skulking 
around. 

"  Mordecai,"  said  he  one  day  to  that  worthy, 
who  was  standing  in  the  midst  of  a  group  of 
Indians,  in  his  usual  stately  attitude,  with  one 
hand  tucked  in  his  side,  while  the  other  held  a 
frying-pan,  "  Mordecai,  dere  is  no  good  in  hav 
ing  dese  Ingens  around  you  ;  dey  'm  all  big 
rascals  anyhow." 


Domestic  Grievances.  1 1 1 

Mordecai  gave  a  self-satisfied  smirk,  threw  a 
compassionate  glance  at  Joe,  then  extending 
his  arm  with  an  impressive  air:  "  Joe,"  said  he, 
"  don't  abuse  the  Indians,  it  hurts  my  feelings  ; 
I  'm  an  Indian  myself." 

"Yes,  a  nigger  von,"  replied  Joe,  turning 
upon  his  heel. 

It  seems,  too,  that  the  lotan  was  of  the  same 
opinion,  for  whenever  Mordecai  spoke  .of  his 
Indian  descent,  the  old  warrior  quietly  shook 
his  head,  remarking  "  that  he  had  never  seen 
an  Indian  with  woolly  hair." 

It  was  evident,  however,  that  this  contempt 
was  engendered  by  seeing  him  perform  menial 
offices  ;  for  like  all  Indians,  he  had  a  great  dis 
taste  for  labor,  and  respected  those  only  who, 
like  himself,  did  nothing. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

A  Man  of  the  World-— The  Chase. 

AMONG  the  idlers  who  habitually  drifted 
to  our  tents  on  sunshiny  days,  was  a 
tall,  thin,  leathern-hided  Indian,  with  a  profu 
sion  of  tangled  hair,  which  he  occasionally 
combed  with  his  fingers. 

Weather-beaten  and  smoke-dried,  he  looked 
as  if  further  hardening  were  impossible  ;  but 
withal  he  had  a  small,  busy  eye  which  at  times 
twinkled  with  fun,  and  which  overcame  even 
the  gravity  of  the  older  Indians,  and  entrapped 
them  into  as  broad  a  laugh  as  was  ever  known 
to  escape  the  mouth  of  the  most  scape-gallows 
Indian  of  the  tribe,  or  even  the  broader  mouth 
of  that  vociferous  character,  the  Black  Bear. 

He  usually  made  his  appearance  at  the  tent 
a  little  after  sunrise,  and  hung  around  it  during 
the  whole  day,  shifting  his  position,  from  time 
to  time,  to  any  place  where  eating  was  going 
on. 

112 


A  Man  of  the  World.  1 1 3 

He  wore  an  old  buffalo  robe,  almost  bare  of 
hair,  and  in  his  hand  was  a  long-stemmed  pipe, 
as  antiquated  as  himself. 

He  owned  nothing  beside  his  pipe  and  buf 
falo-skin  ;  he  had  never  burthened  himself  with 
a  wife,  and  he  had  never  built  a  lodge  to  shel 
ter  him.  His  bed  was  his  time-worn  robe  ;  and 
the  lodge  in  which  night  surprised  him  was  his 
usual  resting-place  until  the  next  morning. 

Notwithstanding  the  apparent  easiness  with 
which  he  slid  through  the  world,  his  life  had 
not  been  without  its  spice  of  adventure.  Nor 
had  fifty  years  flown  over  his  head  without 
bringing  in  their  train  a  host  of  those  mishaps, 
both  by  "flood  and  field,"  with  which  the 
life  of  a  savage  is  ever  teeming.  These  he  was 
accustomed  to  narrate  to  groups  of  old  and 
young,  with  a  degree  of  humor  which  com 
pletely  enraptured  the  women,  and  rendered 
him  a  welcome  guest  in  every  lodge  in  the  town. 

lie  was  sitting  as  usual  at  the  door  of  our 
tent.  After  finishing  his  pipe,  he  gave  an  ac 
count  of  his  having  been  chased  by  a  party  of 
Sioux  Indians  across  the  prairie  which  lay  be 
tween  the  Elk  Horn  River  and  the  Missouri, 
on  his  way  to  the  Otoe  Agency. 


1 14  A  Man  of  the  World. 

After  laughing  heartily,  the  interpreter 
translated  it  for  the  benefit  of  the  rest. 

The  Otoe  Agency  is  upon  the  banks  of  the 
Missouri  River,  thirty-five  miles  from  the  Otoe 
village.  It  consists  of  half-a-dozen  rough 
buildings,  tenanted  by  half-breed  Indians,  with 
full-blooded  squaws  for  wives,  and  a  plenty  of 
mongrel  children.  The  latter  might  be  seen 
from  morning  till  night  lying  on  the  ground  in 
front  of  the  Agent's  dwelling,  and  basking  in 
the  sunshine,  with  that  listless  enjoyment 
which  they  inherit  with  their  Indian  blood. 

Early  one  morning  the  Indian  left  the  Otoe 
village,  to  visit  the  Agency. 

As  he  was  on  a  friendly  visit,  to  gossip  with 
his  cronies  at  that  place,  he  had  no  weapon, 
but  carried  under  his  arm  his  inseparable  com 
panion,  his  pipe,  the  stem  of  which  was  of  ash, 
about  four  feet  in  length,  half  an  inch  in  di 
ameter,  and  charred  in  the  fire,  until  it  had 
acquired  a  dirty-brown  color.  The  bowl  was 
of  stone,  to  contain  the  kinne-ka-neek,*  which 
an  Indian  uses  as  a  substitute  for  tobacco. 

*  Kinne-ka-neek  is  used  by  the  Indians  as  a  substitute  for 
tobacco.  It  is  made  by  crushing  the  dried  leaves  or  bark  of 
the  wild  sumach. 

The   kinne-ka-neek  pouch  of  the  Indians  is  always  formed 


A  Man  of  the  World.  1 1 5 

The  route  to  the  Otoe  Agency  lay  across 
a  range  of  steep,  ragged  ridges. 

The  Indian  sauntered  slowly  along.  He 
had  a  whole  summer's  day  before  him,  and 
was  never  in  a  hurry. 

On  the  summit  of  a  hill  he  paused  to  look 
around  him.  The  country  was  broken  by 
small  patches  of  timber  and  brushwood,  which 
served  to  give  relief  to  the  otherwise  barren 
appearance  of  the  prairie,  but  it  was  necessary 
to  keep  a  watchful  eye  upon  it,  for  war  parties 
of  Sioux  Indians  were  often  on  the  prowl 
there. 

There  was  nothing  to  be  seen  wearing  a 
hostile  appearance.  Notwithstanding  this  ap 
parent  security,  his  watchfulness  never  slum 
bered.  He  had  been  too  often  hunted  and 
harassed  by  foes  to  relax  that  vigilance 
which  from  necessity  becomes  a  second  nature 
with  an  Indian. 

He  had  travelled  for  several  hours,  and  his 

of  the  skin  of  some  small  animal.  The  head  is  left  appended 
to  it,  and  the  bones,  intestines,  and  fleshy  substance  are  removed 
from  the  body  through  a  small  hole  cut  in  the  throat,  which 
af  terwards  serves  as  the  mouth  of  the  pouch.  These  pouches 
are  often  highly  ornamented  with  stained  porcupine  quills, 
beads,  and,  if  their  owners  can  obtain  them,  hawks'  bells. 


1 1 6  A  Man  of  the  World. 

journey  was  nearly  at  its  end.  The  outline  of 
the  forest  on  the  bank  of  the  Missouri  was 
now  in  sight.  Tangled  thickets  were  becoming 
more  frequent,  and  every  thing  bespoke  a  near 
approach  to  that  king  of  rivers. 

A  smooth  prairie  about  two  miles  wide 
separated  the  Indian  from  the  grove  in  which 
the  Agency  was  nestled.  In  front  of  him  was 
a  low  hillock,  between  two  thick  clusters  of 
bushes.  He  sauntered  to  the  top  and  looked 
around.  At  the  left  was  a  clump  of  bushes 
fringing  the  bottom  of  the  hill,  but  beyond, 
in  that  direction,  there  was  no  object  to  break 
the  spotless  green  of  the  prairie  which  stretched 
far  off  to  the  northward  until  its  distant  verge 
was  mingled  with  the  haze  of  the  sky. 

At  his  right  was  another  clump  of  bushes, 
which  clustered  at  the  base  of  the  hill,  and 
swept  off  to  a  distant  ravine.  At  a  short  dis 
tance  beyond  this  a  long  line  of  lofty  trees, 
rising  above  a  crowded  underbrush,  stretched 
off  through  the  prairie,  until  it  joined  the  forest 
of  the  Missouri. 

All  appeared  clear  of  enemies.  So,  wrap 
ping  his  robe  closely  around  him,  the  In 
dian  was  preparing  to  quit  his  stand,  when  his 


A  Man  of  the  World.  1 1 7 

quick  eye  was  caught  by  the  quivering  motion 
of  a  bush  at  the  bottom  of  the  hill. 

In  an  instant  every  sense  was  on  the  alert ; 
it  might  be  a  deer,  or  it  might  be  a  lurking  foe. 

He  paused  and  watched.  The  bush  was 
again  shaken,  the  head  of  an  Indian  emerged 
from  among  the  leaves,  and  another  was  dimly 
seen  crouching  in  the  bushes  near  it. 

From  signs  known  to  mmself,  the  Otoe  at 
once  recognized  them  as  Sioux,  the  bitter  foes 
of  his  tribe.  His  loud,  taunting  laugh,  accom 
panied  by  the  Otoe  war  cry,  announced  to  the 
lurking  savages  that  they  were  discovered.  In 
an  instant  they  sprang  up  yelling  the  war 
cry  of  their  tribe. 

The  Otoe  fled  down  the  opposite  side  of  the 
hill,  making  for  a  thicket  at  its  foot.  As  he 
ran  he  grasped  the  stem  of  his  pipe  in  one 
hand  and  the  stone  bowl  in  the  other. 

He  protruded  the  end  beyond  his  side,  in 
such  a  manner  as  to  lead  his  enemies  to  sup- 
pose  that  he  was  armed  with  a  rifle. 

His  pursuers,  to  the  number  of  four,  fol 
lowed  at  his  heels  like  a  pack  of  hounds  in 
full  cry. 

They  gained  upon  him,  but  by  dint  of  hard 


1 1 8  A  Man  of  the  World. 

effort  he  gained  the  covert  of  brushwood, 
leaving  them  full  two  hundred  yards  behind. 
A  shout  betrayed  their  disappointment.  The 
wary  old  savage  now  threaded  his  way  swiftly, 
but  with  great  caution,  through  the  thick  maze 
of  bushes.  He  scarcely  moved  a  twig,  lest  it 
should  catch  the  observant  eyes  of  his  foes, 
whom  he  could  perceive  lurking  around, 
though  keeping  out  of  rifle-shot. 

At  last  the  motion  of  a  bush  through  which 
he  was  forcing  a  passage  revealed  his  position. 

In  an  instant  each  Indian  fitted  an  arrow  to 
his  bow,  but  they  were  careful  to  keep  out  of 
shot  of  the  supposed  rifle.  At  length  they 
reached  the  edge  of  a  ridge,  not  more  than  a 
hundred  yards  off.  An  arrow  could  not  be 
sent  with  certainty  at  that  distance,  but  a 
bullet  could.* 

The  Otoe  suddenly  raised  his  head  above 
the  bushes  and  levelled  his  pipe.  A  loud 
yell  burst  from  the  Sioux,  and  they  darted  be 
hind  the  hill  to  escape  the  dreaded  shot.  As 
they  disappeared  the  Otoe  ran  in  the  opposite 
direction,  and  succeeded  in  making  his  way 
several  hundred  yards  through  the  underwood 

*  Neither  the  Sioux  nor  Pawnee  Indians  at  that  date  used 
fire-arms. 


A  Man  of  the  World.  1 1 9 

before  his  route  was  detected.  He  again 
raised  his  head  above  the  bushes ;  his  pipe 
was  again  at  his  shoulder,  and  aimed  at  the 
hostile  group. 

They  fled  behind  the  ridge,  and  again  he 
pushed  forward.  This  manoeuvre  was  repeated 
several  times,  till  he  came  to  where  the  thicket 
terminated  and  was  separated  by  about  a  hun- 
hundred  yards  of  open  prairie  from  the  wooded 
shore  of  the  Missouri. 

Seizing  the  moment  of  another  dispersion  of 
his  foes,  he  darted  from  the  bushes  and  made 
for  the  forest.  He  had  nearly  reached  it 
when  a  loud  whoop  announced  that  his  flight 
was  discovered. 

His  pursuers  were  obliged  to  force  a  path 
through  an  intervening  skirt  of  brushwood. 
This  gave  him  time,  and  he  gained  the  woods 
just  as  they  were  emerging  from  the  thicket 
which  he  had  deserted. 

After  rushing  through  the  underwood,  and 
making  several  turns  and  doublings,  he  lost  all 
sounds  of  pursuit,  and  reached  the  Agency 
in  safety,  all  glorious  at  having  beaten  off  a 
war  party  by  means  of  a  pipe.* 

*  Omaha  City  now  covers  the  ground  formerly  occupied  by 
the  Otoe  Agency. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

The  Metamorphosis. 

ONE  day  when  we  had  been  at  the  lodge 
of  the  lotan  and  were  returning  to  our 
tent,  we  passed  a  group  of  women  engaged  in 
drying  corn  upon  a  buffalo  skin  tent,  which 
had  been  spread  on  the  ground  for  the  pur 
pose. 

One  of  them  attracted  our  attention  by  her 
unusual  size  and  height,  and  as  we  approached 
nearer  there  was  a  masculine  coarseness  about 
her  which  was  very  repulsive. 

We  afterwards  learned  that  this  strange 
being,  although  clad  in  female  garb  and  per 
forming  menial  services,  was  in  reality  a  man, 
and  had  once  been  one  of  the  chief  braves  of 
the  nation,  and  had  led  many  an  expedition 
against  their  bitter  foes,  the  Osages.  In  the 
midst  of  his  career  he  stopped  short,  and  com 
menced  his  present  life  of  drudgery. 

The  cause  was  this:  He  had  been  for  several 

120 


The  Metamorphosis.  1 2 1 

weeks  absent  upon  a  war  expedition  against 
his  usual  enemies,  the  Osages,  and  had  been 
successful  in  his  foray. 

One  afternoon  he  made  his  appearance  in 
the  village,  weary  and  fasting.  He  hastened 
to  his  lodge  and  remained  there  for  the  night. 
In  the  morning  he  collected  his  family  about 
him,  and  told  them  that  the  Great  Spirit  had 
visited  him  in  a  dream  and  commanded  that 
he  should  thenceforth  relinquish  all  claim  to 
the  rank  of  a  warrior,  and  assume  the  dress 
and  avocations  of  a  female.  The  group  around 
him  heard  him  in  sorrow,  but  none  attempted 
to  dissuade  him  from  his  determination,  for 
they  listened  to  the  communication  of  the 
Deity  with  a  veneration  equal  to  his  own. 

After  speaking  with  his  own  family,  he  made 
known  his  intention  to  the  tribe. 

They  heard  him  gravely  and  sadly,  but^they 
too  bowed  to  the  decree  of  the  Great  Spirit. 

He  returned  to  his  lodge,  took  down  his 
bow,  and  snapping  it  in  two,  threw  the  frag 
ments  into  the  fire  ;  and  buried  the  tomahawk 
which  had  served  him  in  battle.  Having  fin 
ished  this,  he  washed  the  war  paint  from  his 
face,  and  drew  the  eagle's  plume  from  his 
scalp-lock. 


1 2  2  The  Metamorphosis. 

From  that  hour  he  ceased  to  be  numbered 
among  the  warriors  of  the  nation,  and  took  no 
part  in  their  councils.  He  knew  that  the  life 
marked  out  for  him  was  one  of  toil  and  degra 
dation  ;  but  his  resolution  was  fixed,  and  he 
pursued  his  course  with  unwavering  firmness. 
Years  had  elapsed  since  he  commenced  this 
life  of  penance.  His  face  was  seamed  with 
wrinkles ;  his  frame  was  yielding  to  decrepi 
tude  ;  and  his  sullen  eye  plainly  showed  how 
bitter  the  change  had  been. 

Neglected  and  overlooked,  he  had  the  misery 
of  seeing  others  fill  the  places  which  he  once 
had  filled,  and  of  knowing  that,  however  they 
might  have  respected  his  motives,  he  was  now 
looked  upon  as  one  of  the  lowest  of  the  tribe. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 
Indian  Dogs. 

AMONG  the  Indians  dogs  abound,  and 
from  their  appearance  I  should  judge 
that  they  came  from  the  same  parent  stock  as 
the  wolves  of  the  prairies. 

When  an  Indian  tribe  leaves  a  village  for 
the  hunting-grounds,  the  dogs  follow,  and 
grow  fat  upon  the  offal  which  is  left  after  a 
successful  hunt. 

But  when  the  tribe  returns  to  the  town,  and 
the  store  of  food  begins  to  grow  scant,  the 
hour  of  dog-tribulation  comes  on,  and  even  the 
most  conscientious  dogs  become  addicted  to 
stealing,  driven  to  it  by  sheer  hunger,  their 
masters  being  always  careful  to  keep  every 
thing  eatable  out  of  their  reach. 

As  far  as  I  was  able  to  judge,  the  only  act  of 

ownership  which  they  ever  exercised  over  their 

canine  flock   was   to   kick   them  whenever  a 

chance  offered,  or  to  eat  them  on  state  occa- 

123 


124  Indian  Dogs. 

sions,  as  we  afterwards  learned  by  unpleasant 
experience. 

With  all  their  thievishness  they  are  the  most 
pious-looking  dogs  in  existence.  Frequently 
have  I  observed  a  gaunt,  greedy  fellow  saunter 
into  the  lodge  in  apparent  absence  of  mind, 
but  the  moment  he  caught  sight  of  an  article 
of  food,  the  air  of  abstraction  vanished,  and  he 
would  sidle  towards  the  object  of  his  wishes, 
watching  an  opportunity  to  seize  his  prize,  and 
trusting  to  luck  to  make  good  his  retreat. 

But  should  he  catch  your  eye,  his  eager 
look  instantly  disappears,  and  is  succeeded  by 
a  meek  and  unpretending  slouch,  which  seems 
to  beg  that  you  would  not  place  any  im 
proper  construction  upon  his  motives. 

It  soon  became  known  to  these  gentry  that 
a  band  of  strangers,  as  yet  unacquainted  with 
their  ways,  had  arrived  among  them.  Accord 
ingly  they  deserted  the  town  to  linger  around 
our  tents.  The  first  day  was  one  of  jubilee, 
and  they  had  every  thing  their  own  way. 

But  we  soon  found  them  out,  and  removed 
from  their  reach  whatever  we  apprehended 
might  be  in  the  slightest  degree  palatable,  or 
even  digestible. 


Indian  Dogs.  1 2  5 

A  cordial  hatred  existed  between  them  and 
the  old  squaws,  who  above  all  things  detested 
rivalry  in  their  business,  and  were  unwilling 
that  any  interlopers  should  carry  off  a  share 
of  those  spoils  which  they  considered  their 
own. 

Among  the  number  of  our  canine  visitors, 
two  seemed  to  carry  on  a  copartnership. 

One  was  a  little  rakish-looking  dog,  with 
pinkish-green  eyes,  who  had  quite  a  buckish 
way  of  carrying  his  tail. 

His  companion  was  his  reverse  in  every  re 
spect,  being  lean  and  shaggy,  with  a  slouch  to 
his  tail,  and  a  quiet,  pensive  expression  of 
countenance. 

He  never  resisted  attack,  but  fled  howling 
away  at  the  slightest  appearance  of  danger  ; 
though  half  an  hour  would  not  elapse  before 
he  was  as  busy  as  ever. 

In  stealing  he  far  excelled  his  companion; 
who  made  ten  times  as  much  bustle  in  carrying 
off  ten  times  as  little  ;  and  was  frequently  left 
to  receive  the  punishment  due  to  both. 

They  kept  together  several  days,  but  at 
length  the  partnership  was  dissolved,  by  reason 
of  their  being  detected  and  soundly  flogged  for 


126  Indian  Dogs. 

attempting  to  drag  off  a  bag  containing  about 
twenty  pounds  of  bacon. 

There  were  two  exceptions  to  these  thievish 
characters.  One  was  an  old  dog,  who  looked 
like  a  broken-down  wolf,  rheumatic  and  slow 
in  gait,  but  quick  at  bite;  who  watched  the 
other  dogs  with  a  venomous  eye,  and  was  ripe 
for  a  quarrel,  which  he  occasionally  showed  by 
a  low  growl,  and  an  ominous  display  of  teeth. 

His  comrade  was  an  obsequious  little  fellow, 
with  sharp  ears,  a  bushy  tail,  and  eyes  and 
nose  like  a  fox. 

He  always  treated  the  cook  with  marked 
respect,  and  when  Jones,  with  shouts  and 
menaces,  was  chasing  some  pilfering  dog,  this 
little  fellow  joined  in  the  hue  and  cry,  barking 
so  vociferously  and  with  such  earnestness  that 
he  fairly  danced  upon  his  hind  legs.  After 
these  demonstrations  of  sympathy  he  would 
sidle  up  to  Jones,  and  wag  his  tail  as  if  to  call 
attention  to  the  part  which  he  had  taken  in 
pursuit  of  the  delinquent. 

Jones,  glad  to  have  an  ally,  usually  rewarded 
him  with  a  piece  of  meat. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 
Indian  Life. 

AMONG  these  Indians,  the  young  men 
have  a  great  weakness  for  dress  and 
ornament ;  and  the  glittering  presents  of  the 
whites  are  as  much  coveted  by  them  as  by  the 
squaws  and  papooses.  Scarcely  a  day  elapsed 
but  a  group  of  them  would  collect  before  our 
tents  for  the  purpose  of  ornamenting  them 
selves.  They  were  apparently  very  fastidious 
in  their  taste  ;  for  when  hours  had  been  spent 
by  an  Indian  beau  in  laying  on  one  streak  of 
paint  after  another,  and  in  ogling  himself  by 
piecemeal  in  a  small  scrap  of  looking-glass, 
some  defect  would  appear,  and  with  an  ex 
clamation  of  dissatisfaction  the  whole  would 
be  rubbed  off.  The  work  would  then  be  re 
commenced  with  unabated  perseverance,  until 
he  succeeded  in  daubing  and  ornamenting 
himself  to  his  entire  satisfaction. 

When    their    toilette    was    completed,    the 
127 


128  Indian  Life. 

young  fellows  would  fling  their  blankets 
around  them  and  lounge  through  the  town, 
looking  at  the  young  squaws,  and  occasionally 
condescending  to  speak  to  some  dirty-looking 
brother  with  that  patronizing  air  which,  in  all 
countries,  a  well-dressed  person  has  a  right  to 
assume  in  conversing  with  a  ragged  acquaint 
ance.  When  they  had  finished  their  stroll, 
they  would  mount  upon  the  top  of  a  lodge, 
and  stand  to  be  gazed  at  by  the  different 
idlers ;  a  term  which,  in  truth,  might  be 
applied  to  the  whole  of  the  male  portion  of 
the  town. 

In  war  and  in  hunting  there  is  no  being 
more  untiring  than  the  Indian.  He  will  spend 
days,  and  weeks,  in  search  of  an  enemy.  If  in 
the  course  of  his  travels  he  meets  with  a 
strange  track  crossing  his  path,  his  journey  is 
at  an  end,  until  he  has  satisfied  himself  whether 
it  be  that  of  friend  or  foe.  If  ascertained  to  be 
that  of  an  enemy,  and  if  there  is  any  prospect 
of  gaining  a  scalp,  the  main  pursuit  gives  place 
to  this.  He  follows  upon  the  trail,  rapidly  and 
surely,  and  nothing  is  left  undone  to  insure  the 
successful  accomplishment  of  his  purpose. 

There  is  but  little  chivalry  in  Indian  war- 


Indian  Life.  129 

fare.  The  pursuer  steals  cautiously  upon  his 
foe — gives  him  no  warning,  no  opportunity  to 
resist  his  fate.  Often  the  death-cry  of  the 
victim  is  simultaneous  with  the  crack  of  the 
rifle  that  gave  him  the  first  notice  of  the  foe. 

In  peace  and  in  his  own  village,  the  Indian 
lounges  about  listlessly,  and  will  sit  for  hours 
watching  the  children  at  their  games,  or  will 
stop  at  the  different  lodges  to  hear  the  floating 
rumors  of  the  town.  Sometimes  a  knot  of 
five  or  six  will  gather  together,  for  the  sake 
of  talking  over  their  own  domestic  grievances, 
and  abusing  their  wives  behind  their  backs ; 
or  they  will  assemble  in  the  prairie  and  relate 
to  the  young  men  their  exploits  in  battle, 
their  success  in  hunting,  the  deeds  of  the  dif 
ferent  noted  men  of  the  village,  always  winding 
up  by  advising  them  to  follow  their  excellent 
examples. 

At  a  little  distance  from  these,  a  single  war 
rior  may  be  seen  lolling  in  the  grass,  warming 
himself  in  the  sunshine,  and  drawling  out  a 
dull,  sleepy  song,  with  an  air  of  the  most  per 
fect  indifference  to  all  things,  past,  present, 
and  to  come.  Farther  on,  two  or  three  may 
be  observed  strolling  along  the  summits  of  the 


130  Indian  Life. 

different  prairie  hills,  and  keeping  watch  over 
the  neighboring  country. 

During  our  stay,  the  crowd  of  visitors  and 
pilferers  increased  day  by  day. 

The  chief,  therefore,  stationed  an  Indian  at 
our  camp,  to  keep  off  idlers  and  intruders,  and 
to  keep  a  keen  eye  on  the  movements  of  the 
dogs  and  old  women.  At  the  same  time  he 
took  occasion  to  let  us  know  that,  although 
the  Indian  had  been  selected  by  himself,  his 
pay  would  be  expected  to  come  from  the 
Commissioner. 

On  the  following  morning  the  guard  made 
his  appearance,  and  prepared  to  enter  upon 
the  duties  of  his  office. 

He  was  tall  and  thin,  with  a  shaved  head, 
and  a  body  highly  painted  with  vermilion. 
He  wore  a  dirty  blanket,  which,  with  a  small 
piece  of  blue  cloth  around  his  hips,  and  a  rag 
ged  pair  of  moccasins,  completed  his  dress. 

Like  many  men  in  office,  he  began  to  look 
with  a  patronizing  air  upon  his  former  cronies, 
and  commenced  the  discharge  of  his  duties  with 
great  assiduity. 

He  routed  the  droves  of  children.  He 
hunted  the  old  squaws  over  the  prairie,  till 


Indian  Life.  1 3 1 

nothing  in  the  shape  of  a  petticoat  dared  ven 
ture  in  the  neighborhood.  A  perpetual  whin 
ing  and  howling  of  curs,  accompanied  by  the 
thwacks  of  a  cudgel,  informed  us  that  this  por 
tion  of  our  visitors  had  also  been  treated  with 
all  the  respect  due  to  so  numerous  and  busy  a 
community. 

This  lasted  for  a  day  ;  after  which  a  perfect 
calm  reigned  throughout  the  camp.  There  was 
no  excitement;  for  the  guard  had  monopolized 
it.  There  was  no  squabbling  or  howling;  for 
the  women  were  driven  off,  and  the  dogs  knew 
better  than  to  venture  a  second  time  within 
the  reach  of  a  cudgel,  whose  favors  were  be 
stowed  with  such  an  unsparing  liberality. 

The  office  now  became  a  sinecure.  The 
guard  sat  for  hours  upon  the  head  of  an  empty 
pork  barrel,  drumming  his  heels  against  its 
sides,  and  trolling  out  some  Indian  ditty  ;  or 
occasionally  bellowing  out  a  threat  at  some 
urchin  who  ventured  to  steal  a  distant  look  at 
the  forbidden  premises.  When  this  became 
tedious  he  stretched  himself  at  full  length  on 
the  grass,  and  resumed  his  old  occupation  of 
singing.  An  hour  spent  at  this  exhausted  his 
patience.  He  then  rose  up,  threw  his  blanket 


132  Indian  Life. 

across  his  shoulders,  and  swaggered  off  to  the 
village  to  hear  the  news  and  chat  with  the  old 
folks,  who  treated  him  with  great  deference, 
now  that  he  was  in  office.  After  paying  one 
of  these  visits,  he  always  returned  to  his  post, 
and  regaled  us,  through  the  interpreter,  with 
the  news  of  the  day. 

By  degrees,  his  jurisdiction  seemed  to  in 
crease,  until  at  last,  from  the  charge  of  our 
goods  and  chattels,  it  reached  to  the  charge  of 
ourselves  ;  and  none  of  the  party  could  leave 
the  tent  without  receiving  a  very  inquiring 
look,  as  to  what  might  be  the  nature  of  the 
business  which  called  him  forth.  All  these 
things  tended  vastly  to  raise  him  in  the  esti 
mation  of  the  village  ;  though  I  verily  believe 
that  at  the  bottom  he  was  one  of  the  most  ar 
rant  vagabonds  breathing  ;  and  that  the  chief, 
acting  upon  the  principle  usually  followed  by 
politicians  of  the  present  day,  had  promoted 
him  to  office  because  it  was  necessary  that 
something  should  be  done  for  him,  and  be 
cause  there  was  no  other  way  of  doing  it. 

Great  as  had  been  his  display  of  diligence 
for  the  first  day,  it  soon  disappeared  ;  and  at 
the  end  of  three  days  there  was  little  differ- 


Indian  Life.  133 

ence  in  the  appearance  of  the  camp  from  that 
which  it  wore  previous  to  his  appointment. 

According  to  his  notions,  he  had  performed 
all  that  was  necessary  to  entitle  him  to  his  pay, 
and  any  further  labor  he  considered  as  alto 
gether  superfluous.  Before  a  week  had  elapsed, 
he  was  nearly  as  great  an  annoyance  as  any  of 
the  idlers  whom  it  was  his  business  to  remove. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

The  Otoe  Council. 

A  DAY  had  been  appointed  for  holding  a 
council,  for  the  purpose  of  forming  a 
treaty,  with  respect  to  the  lands  lying  in  the 
neighborhood  of  the  Nemahaw  River.  The 
hour  fixed  upon  was  about  three  o'clock  ;  and 
at  that  time  we  proceeded  from  the  tent  to  the 
town,  with  a  string  of  children  at  our  heels. 

We  found  the  men  of  the  tribe  assembled, 
and  seated  in  circles,  in  the  lodge  of  the  lotan. 

At  the  far  end  of  it  was  the  lotan  ;  and  at 
his  side  were  the  Big  Kaw  and  the  Thief. 
Near  them  were  the  older  warriors  and  braves. 
There  was  something  impressive  in  the  appear 
ance  of  these  war-worn  veterans,  as  they  sat 
there  silent  and  motionless,  prepared  to  listen 
to  the  terms  of  the  treaty. 

This  was  observable,  not  only  in  the  princi 
pal  braves,  but  throughout  the  whole  assem 
bly.    Even  the  vagabonds  assumed  a  degree  of 
gravity  befitting  the  occasion. 
134 


The  Otoe  Council.  135 

The  lodge  was  crowded,  and  the  passage 
which  led  to  the  air  was  filled  with  women  and 
children  ;  and  one  or  two  curious  faces  looked 
down  through  the  smoke-hole  in  the  roof. 

The  most  of  them  had  adorned  themselves 
for  the  occasion.  Feathers  were  hanging  from 
their  scalp-locks  ;  their  heads  and  breasts  were 
painted  with  vermilion,  and  long  strings  of 
wampum  hung  from  their  necks  and  ears.  At 
the  present  moment  there  appeared  to  be  no 
thought  of  their  appearance,  but  every  eye  was 
fixed  upon  the  Commissioner,  as  he  rose  to  ad 
dress  the  meeting. 

He  stated  simply  and  clearly  the  terms  of 
the  treaty.  There  was  no  sound  to  interrupt 
his  voice. 

They  sat  like  statues,  except  when  they 
turned  to  the  interpreter,  as  he  translated  each 
sentence. 

At  length  the  speaker  concluded,  and  a  loud 
grunt  of  approbation  followed  from  the  throats 
of  all. 

The  old  chief  sat  in  grave  deliberation  for  a 
few  moments ;  then  lighting  his  pipe,  he  drew 
a  few  puffs  and  passed  it  to  his  neighbor,  until 
it  had  completed  the  round  of  the  whole 


136  The  Otoe  Council. 

assembly.  He  then  rose  and  addressed  the 
council. 

He  spoke  but  a  short  time,  and  as  he  did  so 
he  paused  from  time  to  time  to  enable  the  in 
terpreter  to  translate  his  words  to  us.  The 
speech  was  intended  as  an  answer  to  that  of 
the  Commissioner,  though  it  was  addressed 
principally  to  his  warriors.  He  spoke  warmly 
of  the  liberality  of  the  whites.  He  threw  out 
hints  as  to  the  contents  of  the  wagons  which 
they  had  brought  with  them,  and  that  the  less 
difficulty  the  tribe  made  in  agreeing  to  the 
terms  of  the  treaty,  the  greater  would  be  their 
share  of  the  presents.  He  then  dilated  upon 
the  advantage  to  be  derived  from  a  friendly 
intercourse  with  the  whites,  and  wound  up  his 
address  with  a  pathetic  lamentation  about  the 
distance  between  their  village  and  the  buffalo 
hunting-grounds.  What  this  portion  of  his 
speech  had  to  do  with  the  rest  of  the  address, 
I  could  not  well  make  out,  but  it  appeared  to 
be  received  with  keen  satisfaction  by  his  au 
dience,  and  when  he  resumed  his  seat  he  was 
greeted  with  a  very  satisfactory  grunt  of  ap 
plause. 

After  him  a  lean,  sinewy  old  man   spoke. 


The  Otoe  Council.  137 

His  hair,  which  was  beginning  to  turn  white, 
hung  in  long,  tangled  locks  upon  his  shoulders. 
He  rose  slowly,  and  gathering  his  robe  closely 
about  him,  commenced  his  harangue. 

At  first  his  voice  was  low  and  his  gestures 
feeble,  but  as  he  warmed  with  his  subject,  his 
voice  grew  strong,  his  withered  face  lighted  up, 
and  his  filmy  eye  kindled.  The  crowd  listened 
with  deep  attention,  but  soon  the  eloquent 
spirit  had  passed  away.  For  a  moment  he 
seemed  endeavoring  to  recall  his  train  of 
thought,  but  without  success.  Then  with  a 
melancholy  shake  of  the  head,  he  drew  his 
blanket  over  it  and  sat  down. 

None  spoke  after  him.  The  pipe  was  again 
passed  around,  and  the  terms  of  the  treaty  were 
agreed  to. 

The  written  treaty  was  then  produced,  the 
interpreter  translating  each  clause  as  it  was 
read  by  the  secretary. 

This  having  been  completed  the  head  chiefs 
advanced  to  an  impromptu  table  contrived  for 
the  occasion,  and  affixed  their  signatures  by 
making  hieroglyphic  marks,  opposite  to  each 
of  which  the  secretary  wrote  the  name  of  the 
signer. 


138  The  Otoe  Council. 

There  was  quite  a  struggle  on  the  part  of 
those  of  lower  rank  to  get  to  the  table  and  affix 
their  signatures  also. 

The  Agent  whispered  to  us  that  these  fellows 
had  an  idea  that  only  those  who  signed  the 
treaty  would  get  a  share  of  the  presents,  and 
that  such  share  would  be  in  proportion  to  the 
size  of  the  signature. 

This  was  told  to  the  secretary,  who,  fearing 
that  the  blank  leaf  of  the  treaty  might  not  be 
large  enough  to  hold  any  more  signatures  of 
such  gigantic  proportions  as  had  already  been 
affixed  to  it,  took  the  pen  in  his  own  hand 
and  made  the  marks,  the  signers  holding  the 
feather  end  of  the  quill. 

This  ceremony  having  been  completed,  a  few 
friendly  words  were  spoken  by  the  Commis 
sioner,  and  replied  to  by  the  chief  in  the  same 
spirit.  The  pipe  was  again  passed  around,  and 
by  degrees  the  crowd  left  the  lodge  and  scat 
tered  through  the  town. 


CHAPTER  XX. 
Distribution  of  Presents. 

ON  the  day  following  the  council,  the 
packages  containing  the  presents  for 
the  tribe  were  given  to  the  chief,  who  pre 
pared  to  divide  them  among  the  different  mem 
bers  of  his  village.  A  large  circle,  composed 
of  men,  women,  and  children,  had  collected 
in  the  prairie.  In  the  centre  of  this  sat  the 
chiefs  and  five  or  six  of  the  principal  warriors. 
The  packages  were  opened,  and  they  com 
menced  separating  the  different  parcels,  for 
the  purpose  of  distribution. 

There  was  a  great  anxiety  evinced  by  the 
crowd.  Every  eye  was  strained  with  an  ex 
pression  of  strong  hankering  towards  the  dis 
tributors,  who  quietly  proceeded  in  the  busi 
ness  of  opening  bundles  of  knives,  boxes  of 
kettles,  tin  cups,  packages  of  beads,  cloths, 
ribands,  and  other  articles,  without  paying  the 
slightest  attention  to  the  anxious  looks  of 
139 


140  Distribution  of  Presents. 

the  restless  bystanders.  When  this  had  been 
completed  the  chief  commenced  cutting  up  the 
pieces  of  cloth,  calico,  and  ribands,  and  send 
ing  off  the  warriors  to  distribute  them. 

Until  then  there  had  been  silence,  but  now 
arose  a  clamor.  The  young  squaws  begged, 
the  old  crones  scolded,  the  boys  whooped,  and 
the  papooses  bawled.  Whenever  an  Indian 
approached  the  edge  of  the  circle,  a  dozen 
hands  were  reached  out  to  seize  upon  the 
article  which  he  held. 

But  the  distributors  had  been  selected  for 
their  coolness.  For  amid  all  the  scrambling 
they  maintained  the  most  philosophic  calmness* 
and  listened  to  the  invectives  of  those  who 
were  disappointed,  with  the  utmost  indifference. 

The  distribution  was  managed  with  great 
impartiality,  though  we  observed  that  a  low 
word  or  an  imploring  look  from  some  of  the 
young  girls  had  their  weight,  and  more  than 
once  changed  the  destination  of  a  gaudy 
riband  or  string  of  richly  colored  beads.  A 
loud  outcry  was  always  raised  by  the  neigh 
bors  on  each  of  these  occasions,  and  a  few 
hard  epithets  were  bestowed  by  the  old  vira 
gos,  who  had  lost  by  this  change  of  destination. 


Distribution  of  Presents.  1 4 1 

During  the  distribution  our  attention  was 
attracted  to  the  manoeuvres  of  a  squaw,  a 
diminutive  little  body,  clothed  in  a  dirty  flan 
nel  jacket  and  a  tattered  sort  of  petticoat. 
There  must  have  been  a  strong  flavor  of  bitter 
ness  about  her  tongue  ;  for  we  observed  that 
the  distributors  shrank  from  wordy  collision 
with  her. 

She  flew  about  in  every  direction. 

Whenever  one  of  the  distributors  crossed  the 
circle,  to  present  some  peculiarly  tempting 
article,  a  terrible  hustling  and  jostling  would 
be  observed  at  the  point  to  which  he  was 
going,  and  before  he  could  reach  it  the  con 
vulsed  face  and  straining  eyes  of  the  little 
squaw  would  appear,  and  her  shrill  voice  would 
be  heard  above  the  general  clamor.  She  never 
obtained  the  prize,  but  the  donor,  after  disap 
pointing  her,  always  moved  off  with  a  hurried 
step,  until  he  had  placed  as  much  space  as 
possible  between  himself  and  her  vigorous 
tongue. 

As  the  distribution  proceeded  she  grew 
furious,  and  the  clamor  of  her  tongue  was  in 
cessant. 

At  last  one  of  the  distributors,  an  old  dried- 


142  Distribution  of  Presents. 

up  Indian,  with  one  eye,  marched  up  to  her, 
and  either  from  compassion,  or  for  the  purpose 
of  hushing  her  abuse,  reached  out  a  small 
piece  of  red  riband  towards  her.  She  snatched 
it  eagerly,  but  after  looking  at  it  for  a  few  sec 
onds  to  see  what  it  was,  she  shook  it  at  him  with 
the  utmost  contempt,  and  gave  such  an  ex 
pression  of  her  opinion  as  raised  a  loud  shout 
of  laughter  at  his  expense. 

He,  however,  did  not  stop  to  listen,  but 
coolly  walked  off,  until  he  got  beyond  the  reach 
of  her  fire. 

Finally,  to  get  rid  of  her,  a  large  tin  kettle 
was  given  to  her,  with  which  she  marched  off 
in  triumph  to  the  village,  to  the  great  relief  of 
the  whole  assemblage.  After  her  departure 
the  business  went  on  with  a  degree  of  good- 
humor  which  had  not  previously  existed. 

During  the  distribution  we  observed  that  the 
females,  with  large  families  of  children,  were 
particularly  well  provided  for.  To  them  were 
given  articles  most  suited  to  their  domestic 
economy.  To  the  young  squaws  were  given 
trinkets  and  ribands,  which  were  of  small 
value,  but  possessed  the  strongest  attractions 
for  them. 


Distribution  of  Presents.  143 

The  knives  and  guns  were  presented  to  the 
young  men  who  were  most  distinguished.  The 
chiefs,  however,  were  particular  to  lay  aside 
one  or  two  of  the  best  of  each  for  their  own  use. 

In  turning  over  the  piles  of  blankets,  a  few 
small  ones  had  been  discovered.  These  were 
given  to  several  of  the  wild-looking  little  fel 
lows  who  were  peering  in  through  the  ring. 

For  a  moment  they  seemed  to  doubt  the 
reality  of  the  gift,  and  appeared  to  be  bewil 
dered  ;  then  forcing  a  passage  through  the 
crowd,  they  gave  a  loud  whoop  and  started  for 
the  town  at  full  speed,  occasionally  looking 
back  as  if  they  feared  that  the  gift  might 
have  been  a  mistake,  and  that  some  one  might 
be  in  pursuit  to  take  it  away. 

After  about  an  hour's  chattering,  laughing, 
and  scolding,  the  distribution  ended,  and  the 
crowd  dispersed — some  with  sour  and  sullen 
looks,  some  with  an  air  of  indifference,  while 
the  smiling,  pleased  countenances  of  others  de 
noted  they  at  least  were  fully  satisfied  with  the 
portion  allotted  to  them. 

Most  of  the  discontent  was  evinced  by  the 
old  folks  of  both  sexes.  The  men  restrained 
themselves,  and  walked  sulkily  off. 


1 44  Distribution  of  Presents. 

The  women,  however,  gave  full  exercise  to 
their  tongues,  and  continued  it  until  the  sound 
of  their  sharp,  shrill  voices  was  lost  in  the  dis 
tance,  as  they  travelled  in  Indian  file  towards 
the  town. 

Notwithstanding  the  show  of  discontent, 
there  were  but  few  who  had  not  obtained  some 
trifle  in  the  general  distribution. 

Shortly  after  this  we  observed  a  troop  of  In 
dians  coming  from  the  village.  They  were 
fantastically  dressed,  in  buffalo  skins,  so  as  to 
bear  a  strong  resemblance  to  that  beast. 

They  retained  the  head,  beard,  and  legs  of 
the  animal  entire,  and  were  so  well  disguised 
that  several  of  them,  at  a  little  distance,  might 
have  been  mistaken  for  the  brute  itself.  They 
had  prepared  themselves  to  give  us  the  buffalo 
dance.  They  drew  up  in  a  large  circle,  at  a 
little  distance  from  a  skin  tent  which  had  been 
lent  to  us,  our  own  marquee  having  been  in 
jured  by  a  heavy  gale  a  few  nights  before. 

The  leader  of  this  band  was  the  Big  Kaw, 
who  frisked  behind  the  grave  head  and  beard 
of  an  enormous  buffalo  bull.  In  the  centre  of 
the  circle  were  seated  a  number  of  buffaloes, 
whose  business  it  was  to  sing,  while  the  rest, 


Distribution  of  Presents.  145 

consisting  of  chiefs,  squaws,  and  papooses,  or, 
in  other  words,  of  bulls,  cows,  and  calves, 
danced  to  their  music. 

The  chorus  commenced  with  a  low,  mourn 
ful  ditty,  which  set  the  whole  herd  of  dancers 
in  motion. 

They  began  by  moving  slowly  round  the 
singers,  but  as  the  chant  grew  more  and  more 
animated,  the  vivacity  of  the  herd  increased. 
From  a  walk  they  quickened  their  pace  to  a 
trot  ;  from  a  trot  it  ambled  off  into  a  full  gal 
lop.  Now  the  spirit  of  the  beast  began  to 
show  out.  The  cows  bellowed,  the  bulls 
frisked,  roared,  and  fought  ;  they  kicked  up  ; 
they  tore  up  the  ground,  and  chased  each 
other  round  the  circle.  This  lasted  some  time, 
until  it  grew  uproarious,  and  the  butting  of 
horns  was  furious.  At  this  sight  the  cows 
drew  off ;  and  several  calves,  after  bursting 
out  into  a  loud  bawl,  raised  up  from  all  fours, 
and  mounting  upon  their  two  hind  legs,  started 
for  the  village,  too  much  frightened  to  take 
any  further  share  in  the  day's  diversions. 

The  dance  lasted  about  an  hour,  after  which 
the  Big  Kaw,  under  the  form  of  a  seven-year- 
old  bull,  came  and  seated  himself  upon  a 


146  Distribution  of  Presents. 

billet  of  wood  beside  us.  He  appeared  per 
fectly  satisfied  with  his  performance,  but  was 
grievously  out  of  wind. 

Several  dances  of  a  similar  character  fol 
lowed.  They  received  their  appellations  from 
different  animals  ;  and  the  merit  of  a  dance 
consisted  in  imitating  as  nearly  as  possible  the 
actions  of  the  beast  from  which  it  received  its 
name. 

They  continued  until  late  in  the  afternoon, 
when  the  Indians,  one  after  another,  dropped 
off ;  and  long  before  nine  o'clock  all  were  gone, 
except  the  dogs,  who  remained  to  forage  during 
the  night. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

Departure  of  Otoes  for   the   Hunting-Grounds, 
and  our  Departure  for  the  Paivnee  Villages. 

^EVERAL  days  had  elapsed,  and  the 
v^y  growing  coldness  of  the  weather  warned 
us  that  it  was  time  for  the  expedition  to  be  on 
its  move  towards  the  Pawnee  villages. 

The  Otoes  had  consumed  their  supply  of 
provisions,  and  were  preparing  to  leave  their 
town  for  the  hunting-grounds.  The  lotan  of 
fered  to  accompany  us,  with  about  twenty  of 
his  principal  warriors,  that  he  might  exert  his 
influence  with  the  Pawnees,  to  prevent  any 
hostility  towards  us.  Although  the  chief  of  a 
different  and  but  a  small  tribe,  still  his  influ 
ence  with  these  wild  hordes  was  equal  to  that 
of  any  of  their  own  leaders. 

His  desperate  courage   had   rendered   him 

popular  with  the  chiefs  and  older  warriors,  and 

his  sociable  manners,  though  tinged  with  a  dash 

of  grimness,  had  made  him  a  favorite  with  the 

147 


1 48  Departures. 

less  distinguished  of  the  nation.  In  addition 
to  this,  the  reputation  of  the  Otoe  tribe  for 
courage  and  pre-eminent  skill  with  the  rifle 
gave  great  consequence  to  their  chieftain. 

For  this  reason  the  offer  of  the  lotan  was 
gladly  acceded  to,  and  our  preparations  for 
departure  were  forthwith  commenced. 

In  the  meantime  a  change  took  place  in  the 
village.  Every  family  was  making  ready  for  its 
departure  to  the  distant  haunts  of  the  buffalo. 

Large  droves  of  horses  were  driven  in  from 
their  feeding-grounds,  and  the  town  rang  with 
noises  of  all  descriptions.  Squaws  were  scold 
ing  ;  children  squalling;  papooses,  too  young 
to  shift  for  themselves,  like  so  many  little 
mummies,  were  suspended  in  baskets  round 
the  inside  of  the  lodges,  where  they  would  be 
out  of  harm's  way,  while  their  mothers  were 
engaged  in  packing  up. 

The  dogs  had  probably  learned  from  painful 
experience  that  this  was  one  of  the  ill-humored 
seasons  of  the  tribe.  Many  of  them  had  with 
drawn  to  a  short  distance  in  the  prairie,  where 
they  sat,  demurely  waiting  until  the  bustle 
should  be  finished,  and  good-humor  restored  to 
the  town.  The  warriors  laid  aside  their  usual 


Departures.  1 49 

indolence,  and  assisted  their  wives  in  loading 
the  horses.  The  only  idlers  in  the  town  were 
children  and  old  men.  The  first  stood  in 
droves,  looking  on,  equally  aware,  with  the 
dogs,  of  the  souring  effect  of  all  this  bustle 
upon  the  tempers  of  the  grown-up  portion  of 
the  community  ;  and  equally  cautious  in  avoid 
ing  all  contact  with  them.  The  last  strolled 
up  and  down ;  kicking  every  stray  cur  they 
chanced  to  meet,  and  bellowing  out  advice  to 
all  who  chose  to  listen. 

Here  and  there  a  long  train  of  those  who 
had  finished  their  labors  was  winding  over  the 
hills  toward  the  wished-for  hunting-grounds. 

A  long  suite  of  dogs  lounged  after  it,  and 
disappeared  with  it  behind  the  distant  ridges. 

As  one  family  after  another  dropped  off,  the 
town  began  to  wear  a  lonely  air.  Wild  and 
uncouth  as  were  its  inhabitants,  we  had  formed 
a  companionship  with  them.  When,  however, 
we  entered  their  lodges,  found  the  fires  extin 
guished,  the  buildings  stripped,  and  silence 
and  solitude  reigning  where  we  had  been 
greeted  with  kind  looks  and  smiling  faces,  we 
experienced  a  dreary  feeling,  which  increased 
our  desire  to  be  once  more  on  the  wing  toward 
our  still  distant  goal. 


150  Departures. 

At  about  ten  o'clock,  on  a  bright  clear 
morning,  we  left  the  Otoe  village. 

The  baggage  wagons  had  started  some  hours 
before  us,  and  had  long  since  passed  the  hills 
behind  the  town.  A  crowd  of  gazers  collected 
round  us  as  we  saddled  our  horses. 

At  length  every  thing  was  completed,  and, 
bidding  farewell  to  the  dusky  group,  we 
mounted  and  galloped  off  in  the  direction 
taken  by  the  wagons. 

Our  course  lay  along  the  borders  of  the 
Platte,  which  soon  began  to  lose  the  luxuriant 
verdure  which  had  fringed  its  banks  in  the 
neighborhood  of  the  Otoe  town.  Scarcely  a 
tree  or  shrub  grew  upon  its  borders. 

Our  party  now  counted  about  thirty,  in 
cluding  Indians,  and  although,  on  account  of 
the  scarcity  of  provisions,  four  of  the  soldiers 
had  been  sent  back  to  the  garrison,  still  the 
reinforcement  of  Otoes  more  than  compensated 
for  their  loss. 

They  had  all  prepared  themselves  for  the 
journey. 

Their  blankets  were  thrown  over  their  shoul 
ders  and  strapped  round  their  waists  in  such  a 
manner  as  to  leave  a  short  skirt  extending 


Departures.  1 5 1 

half-way  down  to  the  knee.  Their  legs  were 
protected  by  coarse  leggins  of  buffalo  skin. 
Each  man  carried  a  short  scabbard,  containing 
a  knife ;  and  several  pair  of  moccasins  were 
strapped  upon  the  back  of  each.  They  had 
left  their  rifles  at  the  village  ;  and  a  short  bow, 
with  a  well  stocked  quiver  of  arrows,  supplied 
their  places.  This  was  the  usual  equipment 
of  an  Indian  when  starting  on  a  peaceful 
journey. 

The  leader  of  the  band  was  the  lotan,  and 
next  to  him  came  the  Big  Kaw  and  the 
Thief. 

These  three  were  the  chiefs,  and  after  them 
followed  the  braves  and  fighting  men. 

They  were  all  hardy,  and  seemed  to  feel  no 
fatigue,  and  although  we  travelled  over  many 
miles  of  prairie  before  nightfall,  their  pace 
was  the  same  and  their  step  as  unflagging  as 
ever. 

An  Indian  upon  the  prairies  is  in  his  ele 
ment. 

An  air  of  wild  freedom  surrounds  him.  He 
is  unrestrained  in  body,  unfettered  in  spirit, 
and  as  wayward  as  the  breeze  which  sweeps 
over  the  grass  of  his  own  hills. 


152  Departures. 

On  the  fifth  night  after  our  departure  we 
encamped  upon  the  banks  of  the  Platte  River. 

The  reflected  stars  sparkled  in  the  water. 

There  was  no  wind,  and  all  around  us  was 
quiet,  except  when  the  stillness  was  broken  by 
the  neigh  of  our  horses,  who  were  pasturing 
at  a  short  distance;  or  by  the  cry  of  a  wild 
goose,  the  leader  of  a  flock  on  their  way  to  the 
north. 

Far  to  the  south  a  faint  red  light  was  re 
flected  in  the  sky,  which  one  of  the  hunters 
attributed  to  the  burning  of  a  prairie  about 
ten  miles  off. 

A  fire  of  heavy  logs  had  been  built  in  front 
of  the  tent,  and  the  party  had  gradually 
gathered  round  it.  Two  or  three  of  our  dusky 
companions  mingled  with  the  group — grave, 
but  observing  spectators  of  the  actions  of  the 
whites. 

Half  of  a  deer  was  roasting  before  the  fire; 
and  the  Black  Bear,  with  a  face  of  vast  im 
portance,  was  busily  engaged  in  making  coffee 
in  a  large  tin  bucket  which  swung  from  a  pole 
over  the  fire.  The  interpreter  was  called  upon 
for  a  story,  and  had  just  discharged  a  roll  of 
tobacco  from  his  mouth  to  make  room  for  the 


Departures.  1 5  3 

full  play  of  his  tongue.  "  Ugh  !  "  exclaimed 
one  of  the  Indians. 

"  What  's  the  matter  now,  Hah-che-kah-sug- 
hah  ?  "  *  asked  the  Doctor,  addressing  the  In 
dian  by  his  native  name.  The  Indian  looked 
at  the  speaker  as  he  heard  his  name  uttered,  but 
after  standing  for  a  moment  he  walked  off  a 
few  steps,  and  placed  his  hand  behind  his  ear 
in  the  attitude  of  earnest  listening. 

"  What  does  he  hear,  Dougherty  ?  "  said  the 
Doctor,  turning  to  the  Indian  Agent. 

"  We  shall  know  presently,"  returned  the 
other  quietly,  without  evincing  more  curiosity 
than  his  red  companion. 

For  a  moment  the  Indian  stood  with  his 
eyes  bent  to  the  ground,  his  head  inclining 
a  little  forward,  and  every  sense  apparently  on 
the  qui  vive. 

He  continued  so  for  a  short  time,  then 
throwing  himself  upon  the  ground,  pressed 
his  ear  closely  against  the  sod. 

*  This  Indian  was  one  of  the  principal  braves  of  the  Otoe 
nation,  and  has  since  become  a  chief.  The  name  Hah-che- 
kah-sug-hah  was  given  to  him  on  account  of  his  deadly  success 
in  the  war  parties  against  the  Osages.  It  signifies  the  man  who 
strikes  the  Osages.  Though  distinguished  for  ferocity  in  bat 
tle,  yet  in  private  life  he  was  one  of  the  most  joyous,  pleasant 
fellows  I  ever  met  with. 


154  Departures. 

"  What  do  you  hear,  Hah-che-kah-sug-hah  ?  " 
asked  the  Agent  in  the  Otoe  tongue. 

"  There  are  Indians  on  the  prairie,"  was  the 
answer. 

This  being  announced  drew  loud  expres 
sions  of  surprise  from  the  whites,  but  the 
Indians  were  perfectly  quiet.  They  appeared 
to  have  the  greatest  reliance  upon  the  Indian, 
whose  keen  hearing  had  been  first  attracted 
by  the  sound.  They  watched  him  earnestly 
as  he  lay  upon  the  ground.  After  continuing 
in  this  position  for  some  time,  he  rose  up,  and 
taking  a  pouch  and  rifle  belonging  to  one  of 
the  hunters,  stole  off. 

The  contrast  between  the  whites  and  In 
dians  was  now  clearly  observable.  The  former 
immediately  commenced  a  conversation  teem 
ing  with  suppositions,  suggestions,  and  all  that 
outpouring  of  confused  ideas  usual  when  a 
dozen  persons  altogether  ignorant  of  a  subject 
attempt  to  throw  a  little  light  upon  it  for  the 
benefit  of  their  neighbors. 

The  Indians,  on  the  contrary,  remained  per 
fectly  cool;  so  much  so  that  one  of  them 
quietly  turned  the  attention  of  the  cook  to 
a  large  piece  of  meat  which  he  was  frying  to  a 


Departures.  155 

cinder  in  his  eagerness  to  listen  to  the  com 
ments  of  the  party.  They  appeared  to  take 
the  matter  with  as  much  quietness  as  if  they 
had  been  in  the  heart  of  their  own  town, 
instead  of  a  large  prairie  infested  by  foes. 

Nearly  ten  minutes  had  elapsed,  when  a 
loud,  shrill  cry  arose  in  the  prairie  from  two 
different  quarters. 

"  Ugh  !  Otoe !  "  repeated  several  of  the  In 
dians,  but  without  moving. 

Another  long,  quavering  whoop  sounded  in 
the  air. 

"  Hah-che-kah-sug-hah  !  "  ejaculated  one  of 
the  Otoes. 

Just  then  two  strange  Otoes  appeared  in  the 
camp,  followed  by  our  Indian  friend. 

In  a  few  words  they  told  their  story.  They 
had  been  to  the  Pawnee  village,  which  was 
about  ten  miles  off,  and  had  left  it  that 
evening. 

About  an  hour  previous  they  had  been 
espied  and  pursued  by  a  party  of  Sioux  In 
dians.  Seeing  a  light  they  fled  for  it.  Their 
enemies  followed,  and  they  believed  that  even 
now  they  were  lurking  in  the  prairie  at  but  a 
short  distance  from  the  camp. 


156  Departures. 

In  an  instant  all  was  uproar.  Some  ran  for 
their  guns  ;  some  loaded  ;  others  filled  their 
powder-horns  ;  others  swore  at  their  comrades 
on  account  of  the  loss  of  some  article  of  equip 
ment  ;  but  all  were  busy  in  suggesting  to  their 
neighbors  what  was  best  to  be  done  in  the 
present  emergency,  and  all  followed  their  own 
inclinations.  "Raise  the  flag!"  at  last  cried 
one,  "  and  let  them  see  that  there  are  whites  in 
the  party,  the  fear  of  their  rifles  may  keep 
them  off." 

This  was  no  sooner  proposed  than  executed. 

A  tall  pole  with  a  striped  flag  floating  from 
the  end  of  it  was  reared  in  front  of  the  tent,  in 
full  light  of  the  fire. 

The  old  lotan  saw  the  flag  hoisted,  and 
though  he  did  not  exactly  understand  why 
it  was  done,  still  he  supposed  that  there 
was  some  meaning  in  it.  So  he  followed  the 
example  of  the  whites,  and  erected  a  pole 
among  a  pile  of  kettles,  marking  his  place  of 
encampment.  He  then  decorated  the  end  with 
a  striped  flag,  which  he  had  hitherto  used  as  a 
wrapper  on  state  occasions. 

"  But  Major,"  said  one,  looking  rather  wild, 
and  walking  up  to  the  Indian  Agent,  "  we  are 


Departures.  157 

representatives  of  government — will  the  Sioux 
dare  to  fire  on  the  United  States?" 

"  If  the  people  of  the  United  States  were  all 
assembled,  I  presume  they  would  not,"  was  the 
quiet  answer.  "  But  you  had  better  get  back 
from  the  fire.  The  Otoes  have  done  so  already. 
They  know  that  an  Indian  can  pick  a  man  off 
easier,  if  he  stands  in  the  light  of  the  blaze 
than  if  he  keeps  in  the  dark.  You  had  better 
join  them  in  the  grass  yonder — there  is  no 
chance  for  running,  for  there  's  no  place  to 
run  to." 

This  was  satisfactory,  and  the  questioner  fol 
lowed  the  example  of  the  savages. 

The  confusion  lasted  for  a  short  time  ;  but 
at  length  each  man  had  prepared  himself  for 
whatever  might  happen.  When  this  was  com 
pleted,  there  was  nothing  more  to  be  done. 
There  might  be  enemies  within  a  few  yards, 
and  they  might  be  many  miles  off.  In  the 
darkness  it  was  impossible  to  see  more  than 
ten  yards  beyond  the  fire.  Our  foes,  on  the 
other  hand,  if  any  there  were,  would  be  able 
to  see  any  of  us  moving  between  them  and  the 
fire  at  twenty  times  that  distance.  At  length 
a  young  Indian  rose  up,  and  moving  swiftly 


158  Departures. 

past  the  fire,  threw  himself  on  the  ground 
beyond.  For  a  short  time  he  remained  station 
ary,  and  then  raising  his  head,  commenced 
worming  his  way  through  the  long  grass,  un 
til  he  was  lost  in  the  darkness.  He  returned 
in  about  half  an  hour.  He  had  made  a  long 
circuit  round  the  camp,  but  had  discovered 
nothing.  He  had  seen  no  signs  of  an  enemy, 
and  gave  it  as  his  opinion  that  they  had  aban 
doned  the  pursuit,  and  that  none  besides  our 
selves  were  in  the  neighborhood,  As  he  con 
cluded,  he  took  his  seat  at  the  fire,  with  the 
confident  air  of  one  who  felt  that  there  was 
nothing  to  be  apprehended  from  this  exposure. 
He  was  soon  followed  by  the  rest,  and  in  a 
short  time  the  camp  was  as  merry  and  noisy 
as  if  nothing  had  taken  place  to  excite  their 
fears. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

Preparations  for  Reception — Reception  by  Grand 
Pawnees. 

DURING  the  evening  previous  to  our 
arrival  at  the  Grand  Pawnee  village, 
several  half-breeds,  who  had  been  sent  there 
by  the  Commissioner  to  give  notice  of  our 
approach,  came  dropping  in,  all  bearing  prom 
ises  of  a  friendly  welcome.  At  sunrise  the 
next  morning  all  was  bustle  in  the  camp ;  the 
tents  were  struck,  and  wagons  loaded.  The 
soldiers  seated  themselves  upon  the  grass  to 
examine  and  prepare  their  arms,  and  the  Otoe 
Indians  were  engaged  in  ornamenting  them 
selves  for  the  occasion.  Some  had  spread 
their  blankets  upon  the  ground,  and  were 
tracing  various  figures  in  vermilion  upon  their 
woolly  surfaces. 

Some,  bending  over  the  small  pools  of  still 
water  on  the  shore  of  the  river,  were  painting 
ing  their  faces  with  vermilion,  manifesting  as 
much  interest  and  anxiety  as  a  young  belle 


1 60  Reception. 

preparing  for  her  first  ball.  Paint  was  put  on 
and  rubbed  off.  Faces  were  striped  first  in 
one  direction,  then  in  another  ;  and  the  advice 
of  those  who  were  sitting  round  was  asked  and 
given,  with  all  the  gravity  befitting  so  import 
ant  an  operation.  In  the  meantime,  two  or 
three  who  had  finished  their  toilettes  seated 
themselves  as  models  for  the  rest. 

Several  who  had  a  reputation  for  skill  in  this 
art  were  engaged  in  painting  their  less  gifted 
companions.  In  another  quarter,  five  or  six 
who  either  had  no  paint,  or  cared  not  about 
the  opinion  of  those  whom  they  intended  to 
visit,  were  lying  stretched  at  full  length  in  the 
grass,  and  keeping  up  an  incessant  drumming 
upon  their  breasts  with  their  fists,  in  time  to  a 
chant,  which  they  were  letting  out  at  the  top 
of  their  lungs,  and  which  wound  up  with  a  yell 
by  way  of  chorus. 

But  in  due  time  there  was  an  end  of  prepara 
tion.  The  tents  were  packed  in  the  wagons, 
the  Indians  were  painted  and  striped,  the 
soldiers  had  examined  their  arms,  the  horses 
were  saddled,  the  oxen  were  yoked  to  the 
baggage  wagons,  and  the  party  commenced 
moving  towards  the  village. 


Reception.  1 6 1 

It  was  a  fine  sunny  morning.  The  clump 
of  trees  which  clustered  on  the  low  banks  of 
the  river,  and  the  islands  which  dotted  it,  were 
alive  with  woodpeckers  of  every  size  and  hue, 
darting  from  tree  to  tree.  Also  large  flocks 
of  gayly  plumed  paroquets  whirled  screaming 
past  us. 

At  ten  o'clock  we  had  travelled  several  miles, 
and  our  vicinity  to  the  village  was  becoming 
more  perceptible.  Mounted  Indians,  sent  out 
to  watch  for  us,  were  seen  galloping  to  the 
town,  and  at  a  distance  we  could  perceive 
others  driving  in  large  droves  of  horses.  In 
another  quarter,  groups  were  standing  on  the 
hill-tops  watching  our  movements,  which,  from 
the  jaded  state  of  the  oxen,  were  necessarily 
slow. 

The  soldiers  who  had  been  straggling  across 
the  prairie,  were  now  called  in,  and  formed  in 
a  compact  body  round  the  baggage  wagons. 
An  hour  more  brought  us  in  sight  of  the 
village. 

The  hills  around  it  were  black  with  mounted 
Indians.  At  length  a  single  horseman  de 
tached  himself  from  the  crowd,  and  galloped 
across  the  prairie  to  meet  us.  As  he  ap- 


1 62  Reception. 

/ 

preached  there  was  a  wild,  free  air  about  him, 
and  he  governed  his  black  horse  with  the 
greatest  ease.  I  could  not  but  think  that  if  the 
rest  of  these  warriors  were  of  the  same  mould, 
any  resistance  of  our  band,  however  desperate, 
would  have  availed  but  little  against  their 
attack. 

Upon  reaching  the  party,  he  sprang  from  his 
horse,  and  shook  hands  with  the  Commis 
sioner.  He  then  gave  directions,  through  the 
interpreter,  that  the  band  should  be  drawn  up 
in  as  small  a  compass  as  possible,  so  as  not  to 
be  in  the  way  of  his  men  as  they  galloped 
around  us.  After  completing  his  arrange 
ments  he  rode  back  and  gave  the  signal  to  his 
men.  In  an  instant  the  hills  were  abandoned, 
and  the  whole  troop  poured  across  the  prairie 
until  they  had  reached  within  two  hundred  yards 
of  us,  when,  at  a  signal  from  the  chief,  the 
band  separated  to  the  right  and  left,  and  com 
menced  circling  round  us  at  full  gallop. 

Their  whoops  and  yells,  and  the  menacing 
manner  in  which  they  brandished  their  bows 
and  tomahawks,  would  have  led  a  person  un 
acquainted  with  their  habits  to  have  looked 
upon  this  reception  as  any  thing  but  friendly, 


Reception.  163 

but  by  this  time  we  had  learned  that  all  this 
uproar  was  kindly  meant. 

After  dashing  round  us  for  some  time,  the 
chief  waved  his  hand  and  the  turmoil  ceased. 

The  warriors  sprang  from  their  horses,  and 
seating  themselves  in  a  large  circle,  waited  for 
the  arrival  of  the  chief  of  the  Grand  Pawnees. 
In  a  few  moments  he  advanced  to  meet  Mr. 

E ,  accompanied  by  the  different  chiefs  of 

Tappage  Pawnee,  Pawnee  Republican,  and 
Pawnee  Loup  villages.  He  was  a  tall,  powerful 
Indian.  A  fillet  of  bear-skin,  ornamented  with 
feathers,  was  bound  round  his  head.  Over  his 
shoulder  was  thrown  a  mantle  of  white  wolf 
skin,  also  adorned  with  feathers. 

His  legs  were  encased  in  black  leggins  of 
dressed  buffalo-hide,  worked  with  beads,  and 
fringed  with  long  locks  of  human  hair.  These 
were  taken  from  scalps  won  in  his  various  war 
expeditions,  and  hung  down  over  his  knees, 
trailing  upon  the  ground  as  he  walked.  He 
first  advanced  and  welcomed  the  Commissioner, 
and  afterwards  the  rest. 

The  chiefs  of  the  three  different  villages 
were  then  introduced,  and  repeated  the  words 
of  welcome  uttered  by  the  first. 


1 64  Reception. 

This  ceremony  was  scarcely  finished  when  a 
movement  was  observed  among  the  crowd,  and 
an  Indian,  mounted  on  a  roan  horse,  made  his 
way  to  the  middle  of  the  circle,  where  the 
rider  dismounted.  He  was  a  Kioway*  Indian, 
from  the  borders  of  Mexico — a  leader  of  those 
Ishmaelite  tribes,  who  rove  the  immense  plains 
of  the  West,  and  whose  hands  are  against 
every  man. 

After  looking  around  him  for  a  moment,  as 
if  to  challenge  opposition,  he  walked  up  to  the 
Commissioner. 

His  long  black  hair,  which  reached  nearly  to 
the  ground,  was  plaited  together,  and  orna 
mented  for  its  full  length  with  plates  of  silver. 

A  band  of  silver  was  fastened  round  his 
throat,  and  several  large  medals  of  the  same 
metal  hung  upon  his  breast.  Upon  his  arms 
were  several  bands  of  silver,  and  rings  of  the 
same  upon  his  fingers.  His  leggins,  though 
more  finely  wrought,  like  those  of  the  chiefs', 

*  We  afterwards  learned  that  this  Indian  had  become 
enamoured  of  a  young  girl  of  his  own  tribe,  the  wife  of  an 
other  ;  but  her  husband  having  gone  upon  some  expedition, 
she  had  taken  advantage  of  his  absence  to  elope  with  her 
lover  ;  and  together  they  had  fled  to  the  Pawnee  village, 
where  they  had  arrived  a  week  previous  to  our  coming. 


Reception.  165 

were  fringed  with  scalps.  A  scalp  consisting 
of  the  entire  upper  part  of  a  human  head, 
hung  from  the  bit  of  his  horse.  Upon  coming 
up  he  offered  his  hand  to  the  Commissioner, 
and  in  succession  to  each  of  us,  and  after  paus 
ing  and  looking  at  us  with  some  curiosity,  he 
sprang  upon  his  horse,  and  riding  through  the 
circle,  was  lost  behind  the  more  distant  crowd 
of  Indians. 

One  of  our  soldiers,  being  of  a  mercenary 
turn  of  mind,  remarked  that  the  "  tail  end  "  of 
that  fellow's  scalp  would  be  worth  having. 

For  a  short  time  after  the  introduction  of 
the  various  chiefs,  the  crowd  of  grim  beings 
hemmed  us  in,  sitting  upon  the  ground  like  so 
many  dark  forms  of  statuary,  without  voice  or 
motion. 

Several  at  length  arose,  and  coming  towards 
the  Commissioner  and  Major  Dougherty,  ex 
tended  the  stem  of  their  pipes  to  the  lips  of 
each,  then  retiring,  resumed  their  station  in 
the  crowd. 

By  this  action,  each  pledged  himself  to  pre 
sent  a  horse  to  the  person  to  whom  he  had 
extended  his  pipe.  In  the  meanwhile,  two 
old  men,  who  had  no  horses  to  lose  by  the  free 


1 66  Reception. 

indulgence  of  liberal  feelings,  rose  up,  and  by 
loud  and  vehement  harangues,  endeavored  to 
pique  the  liberality  of  the  rest. 

They  boasted  of  the  number  they  would  be 
stow,  if  they  but  had  them,  and  recounted  as  ex 
amples  the  acts  of  generosity  which  they  had 
performed  in  their  youth.  As  that  youth  ran 
far  back,  beyond  the  memory  of  the  oldest  in 
habitant,  there  was  little  probability  of  their 
being  contradicted. 

After  they  had  finished,  the  Wild  Horse  (I 
do  not  recollect  his  Indian  name)  stood  up 
and  harangued  the  assembled  multitude.  He 
launched  out  in  a  long  panegyric  upon  the 
whites,  which  was  delivered  with  a  warmth  of 
expression  no  doubt  greatly  increased  by  the 
sight  of  the  wagons  laden  with  presents.  This 
Indian  was  one  of  the  most  daring  warriors  of 
the  tribe  ;  and  many  were  the  tales  of  his  war 
expeditions,  afterwards  related  to  us  by  the 
trappers,  as  we  lay  stretched  around  our  night- 
fires. 

His  height  could  have  been  but  little  short 
of  seven  feet,  and  every  limb  was  in  proportion. 

Unlike  the  rest  of  his  tribe,  his  hair  re 
mained  unshaven,  and  hung  in  long,  tangled 


Reception.  167 

locks,  which  reached  nearly  to  his  waist,  and 
were  profusely  smeared  with  red  ochre.  His 
low,  retreating  forehead  was  seamed  with 
wrinkles,  and  his  eyes  were  deep-set.  His 
nose  was  large  and  prominent,  and  the  ap 
parent  size  of  an  enormous  mouth  was  not  at 
all  diminished  by  two  streaks  of  vermilion, 
which  he  had  drawn  from  each  corner  to  his 
ears.  He  wore  neither  covering  nor  ornament, 
unless  the  profusion  of  black  clay  and  red 
ochre  which  covered  his  body  deserved  that 
name. 

From  his  youth  upward  he  had  been  the 
leading  warrior  in  the  nation.  Though  no 
chief,  his  influence  in  the  village  was  equal  to 
theirs,  rendering  him  as  much  an  object  of 
jealousy  to  them  as  of  dread  to  their  enemies. 

When  he  had  finished  his  address,  the  chief 
rose  and  spoke  a  few  words  to  his  men ;  after 
which  the  circle  opened,  and  forming  into  two 
lines,  one  on  each  side  of  us,  they  prepared  to 
escort  us  into  their  village. 


CHAPTER   XXIII. 

Journey  to  the  Grand  Pawnee  Village — Old  In 
dian  Female — Chief's  Lodge — Indian  Feasts 
— Kioway  Female. 

AS  soon  as  we  emerged  from  the  crowd, 
we  perceived  that  the  plain  between 
us  and  the  village  was  swarming  with  Indians. 
Every  man,  woman,  and  child  had  looked 
upon  the  day  of  our  arrival  as  one  of  jubilee. 
The  boys  had  thrown  aside  their  bows  and 
arrows,  the  females  had  abandoned  their 
drudgery,  and  the  old  men  had  ceased  their 
songs  of  former  victories,  to  paint  themselves 
up  for  the  occasion. 

The  reception  was  over,  and  all  the  requi 
site  awe  of  their  nation  had  been  impressed 
upon  us. 

They  now  threw  aside  the  stern  character  of 
the  warrior,  and  pressed  round  us  with  all  the 
kind  hospitality  of  hosts  receiving  welcome 
guests. 

168 


Journey  to  the  Village.  1 69 

Small  bands  of  young  men  amused  them 
selves  by  dashing  around  the  party  at  full 
gallop  and  attempting  to  oust  each  other  from 
their  saddles. 

Others  would  start  off  in  a  race  across  the 
plain,  whooping  and  screaming  and  clattering 
their  arms  to  excite  their  horses  even  beyond 
the  mad  rate  at  which  they  were  careering. 

Some  hung  round  us,  making  remarks  at  our 
expense,  and  occasionally  exciting  loud  peals 
of  laughter  from  their  comrades.  These, 
however,  were  often  cut  short  by  a  stern  word 
from  one  of  the  chiefs. 

It  was  not  long  before  we  reached  the  vil 
lage  ;  for,  though  the  Indians  crowded  forward 
to  satisfy  their  curiosity,  they  remained  at 
such  a  distance  as  to  offer  no  obstacle  to  our 
progress.  This  rule  of  etiquette  was,  how 
ever,  occasionally  transgressed  by  troops  of 
untrimmed,  goblin-looking  little  urchins,  who 
hung  upon  the  heels  of  the  party.  They 
crowded  around  the  baggage  wagons,  and 
gazed  with  a  mixture  of  terror  and  delight  at 
the  oxen,  who,  with  lolling  tongues  and  reel 
ing  steps,  were,  almost  inch  by  inch,  toiling 
their  way  to  the  village. 


1 70  Journey  to  the  Village. 

Several  times  when  a  circle  of  little  curious 
faces,  anxious  to  see,  but  ready  to  run,  had 
formed  around  the  team,  a  sharp,  shrill  scream 
from  some  more  mischievous  of  the  gang 
would  in  an  instant  disperse  their  courage  and 
send  them  scampering  at  full  speed  across  the 
prairie. 

Another  great  object  of  attraction  was 
Jones,  the  Black  Bear>  who  trudged  in  front, 
surrounded  by  a  crowd  of  women  and  children. 
From  the  first  moment  of  our  arrival  he  had 
been  an  object  of  intense  curiosity,  and  had 
been  gazed  at  with  a  mixture  of  fear  and 
astonishment. 

By  degrees,  the  circle  which  had  at  first 
formed  around  him  at  a  respectful  distance,  be 
came  more  and  more  narrow.  In  vain  he  at 
tempted  to  rid  himself  of  their  company ;  they 
swarmed  around  him  like  ants.  If  he  quick 
ened  his  pace,  they  did  the  same  ;  if  he  loi 
tered,  they  were  equally  slow  ;  and  if  he  turned 
upon  them,  they  scattered  in  every  direction. 
But  after  a  while,  they  hemmed  him  in  so 
closely  that  he  found  it  almost  impossible  to 
move  forward.  When  they  had  thus  closed 
upon  him,  the  lurking  spirit  of  mischief  began 


Journey  to  the  Village.  171 

to  show  itself.  They  tugged  at  his  coat-tail, 
they  pulled  his  pantaloons,  and  they  jostled 
him  until  perspiration,  the  effect  of  fear  and 
exertion,  poured  in  streams  down  his  face.  At 
length  one  toothless,  gray-headed  old  crone, 
attracted  by  the  glistening  appearance  of  his 
black  leather  cap,  made  a  violent  snatch  at  it. 
A  hot  scramble  ensued  for  the  prize,  which, 
after  much  derangement  to  the  wardrobe  of 
the  negro,  was  obtained  by  the  rightful  owner. 
He  had  no  sooner  regained  his  property,  than 
he  opened  his  shirt,  and  placed  it  next  his  bo 
som.  He  then  buttoned  his  coat  over  it  up  to 
the  chin,  performing  the  rest  of  his  journey 
bareheaded. 

We  found  that  the  village  had  been  rebuilt 
since  it  was  burnt  by  the  Delawares.  It  is  sit 
uate  in  the  open  prairie,  at  the  foot  of  a  long 
range  of  hills,  and  within  about  fifty  yards  of 
the  Platte. 

The  river  at  this  place  is  about  two  miles 
wide,  and  very  shallow,  being  constantly 
forded  by  the  squaws,  who  visit  the  different 
islands,  and  obtain  from  them  the  only  fuel 
and  building  materials  to  be  found  in  this  part 
of  the  country. 


172  Chiefs  Lodge. 

The  lodges  are  numerous,  and  stand  close 
together,  without  the  least  regard  to  regu 
larity. 

They  are  built  in  the  same  way  as  those  in 
the  Otoe  village. 

On  account  of  the  scarcity  of  wood,  several 
families  live  together  in  the  same  lodge. 

The  male  portion  pass  the  whole  day  loung 
ing  and  sleeping  around,  or  gorging  themselves 
from  the  large  kettle  filled  with  buffalo  flesh, 
which  is  perpetually  over  the  fire. 

As  we  entered  the  village,  the  tops  of  the 
lodges  were  covered  with  women  and  children, 
and  the  area  in  front  of  the  chief's  dwelling 
was  equally  crowded.  When  we  reached  it,  the 
chief,  who  had  ridden  in  advance  of  the  party, 
was  waiting  at  the  entrance  to  meet  us. 

He  wore  a  robe  of  white  wolf-skin,  upon 
which  was  painted  a  hieroglyphic  account  of 
his  warlike  achievements.  Upon  the  approach 
of  the  Commissioner,  he  advanced  towards  him, 
and  taking  the  robe  from  his  shoulders,  pre 
sented  it  to  him,  requesting  him  (through  the 
interpreter)  to  keep  it  for  his  sake. 

He  then  ushered  the  party  into  the  lodge, 
and  pointed  out  the  places  allotted  for  the  re- 


Chiefs  Lodge.  173 

ception  of  the  contents  of  the  wagons.  After 
this  he  called  together  a  number  of  Indians, 
and  gave  them  directions  to  assist  in  unload 
ing.  He  stood  at  the  door,  watching  their 
movements,  to  prevent  any  attempt  at  pur 
loining. 

In  the  meanwhile  the  lodge  was  becoming 
crowded.  One  dusky  form  after  another  glided 
with  a  noiseless  step  over  the  threshold  to  the 
darkest  corners  of  the  lodge,  where  they  seated 
themselves,  wrapping  their  shaggy  robes  around 
them,  so  as  completely  to  screen  the  lower  part 
of  their  faces. 

Upon  our  entrance  into  the  lodge,  a  large 
kettle  had  been  filled  with  buffalo  flesh  and 
hard  corn,  and  placed  over  the  fire.  When 
the  bustle  of  unloading  had  passed  away,  the 
wife  of  the  chief  (by-the-by  he  had  five  of 
them)  poured  its  contents  into  a  large  wooden 
bowl,  and  arming  each  of  us  with  a  black  dip 
per  made  of  buffalo  horn,  made  signs  for  us  to 
commence. 

We  did  not  wait  for  a  second  invitation,  but 
immediately,  with  both  fingers  and  dippers, 
attacked  the  mountain  of  food  before  us.  We 
had  not  eaten  since  daylight ;  it  was  now  late 


174  Indian  Feasts. 

in  the  day,  and  the  appetites  of  the  party, 
never  particularly  delicate,  having  increased  in 
proportion  to  the  length  of  their  fast,  we  did 
full  justice  to  the  food.  But  every  excess 
brings  its  own  punishment ;  and  our  case  was 
not  an  exception  to  the  general  rule ;  for 
scarcely  had  we  finished,  when  a  little  Indian 
boy,  half  covered  with  a  tattered  buffalo  skin, 
forced  his  way  into  the  lodge.  He  came  to 
the  side  of  the  chief,  who  was  sitting  near  us, 
with  his  legs  doubled  under  him,  after  the 
Turkish  fashion,  and  whispered  in  his  ear.  The 
chief  rose,  and  announced  that  the  Long  Hair, 
the  second  warrior  of  the  village,  had  prepared 
a  feast  in  honor  of  our  arrival,  and  was  wait 
ing  for  us  to  come  and  partake  of  it. 

It  was  useless  to  plead  that  we  had  already 
eaten  sufficient,  for  that  is  a  thing  incredible 
to  an  Indian,  whose  appetite  is  always  propor 
tioned  to  the  quantity  to  be  eaten. 

Seeing  no  remedy,  we  left  the  lodge,  and 
followed  our  little  guide  through  the  intrica 
cies  of  the  village,  to  the  dwelling  of  the  Long 
Hair.  When  we  entered  he  was  sitting  upon 
the  floor,  and  assigned  to  us  seats  upon  sev 
eral  cushions  of  undressed  hides.  He  was 


Indian  Feasts.  175 

a  stern,  gloomy-looking  man,  with  an  anx 
ious,  wrinkled  brow,  a  mouth  like  iron,  and  an 
eye  like  fire.  He  evidently  made  efforts  to  be 
sociable  ;  but  it  was  not  his  nature ;  and  dur 
ing  the  whole  feast,  the  stern,  unbending  char 
acter  of  the  Indian  warrior,  was  continually 
peering  out  from  beneath  the  show  of  hospi 
tality. 

He  urged  us  to  eat,  and  he  even  attempted 
to  smile  ;  but  it  more  resembled  the  angry 
snarl  of  a  wild-cat  than  the  evidence  of  any 
pleasurable  emotion.  In  short,  we  liked  him 
not,  and  hurried  through  our  feast  as  soon  as 
possible.  When  we  had  finished,  and  while  a 
number  of  the  party  were  smoking,  in  turn, 
from  a  large  red  stone  pipe,  which  he  passed 
round,  the  Doctor  rose  and  slowly  sauntered 
round  the  lodge.  He  at  length  observed  a 
small  bundle  of  bones,  and  skin,  which  hung 
from  a  pole  crossing  the  centre  of  the  lodge. 

Curious  to  know  what  it  might  contain,  he 
reached  out  his  hand  to  take  hold  of  it.  From 
the  moment  that  he  had  left  his  seat,  the  brow 
of  the  chief  had  darkened,  but  he  said  nothing, 
contenting  himself  with  narrowly  watching  the 
motions  of  his  guest ;  but  no  sooner  had  he 


176  Indian  Feasts. 

touched  the  bundle,  than  the  Indian  started 
up,  and  uttered  a  loud  cry  of  displeasure. 

The  secret  was  soon  explained  by  the  inter 
preter.  The  bundle  that  had  attracted  the 
curiosity  of  the  Doctor,  was  the  medicine  bag* 
of  the  lodge.  To  disturb  this  is  one  of  the 
greatest  outrages  that  can  be  inflicted  upon 
the  superstitious  feelings  of  an  Indian.  At 
another  time,  the  Doctor  might  have  paid 
dearly  for  his  rashness. 

As  it  was,  at  the  earnest  solicitations  of  the 
interpreter,  he  resumed  his  seat,  and  the 
anger  of  the  chief  passed  away. 

Shortly  after  this,  another  courier  arrived  to 
invite  us  to  a  third  feast ;  and  taking  our  leave, 
we  followed  him.  This  feast  was  exactly  the 
same  as  the  former.  Before  we  had  finished, 
invitation  after  invitation  came  pouring  in 
upon  us,  until  we  had  visited  about  ten  or  fif 
teen  lodges. 

*  Every  lodge  in  an  Indian  village  contains  what  is  called 
its  Medicine  Bag,  which  is  hung  up  in  the  most  conspicuous 
place,  and  regarded  with  the  greatest  veneration,  not  only  by 
the  inhabitants  of  the  individual  lodge,  but  by  the  whole 
tribe.  Little  is  known  of  their  contents,  as  they  are  seldom 
opened,  and  always  with  the  greatest  formalities.  On  these 
occasions,  all  possible  care  is  taken  to  exclude  strangers,  whose 
presence  or  interference  is  regarded  as  a  certain  source  of 
future  misfortune. 


Kioway  Female.  177 

One  after  another,  the  different  members  of 
the  party  then  gave  out,  and  returned  to  the 
abode  of  the  chief. 

Upon  our  return,  Mr.  E assembled  the 

different  warriors,  and  after  some  consultation, 
the  following  day  was  appointed  for  holding  a 
council,  to  agree  upon  the  terms  of  the  treaty. 

When  this  was  settled,  the  chief  turned  and 
spoke  a  few  words  to  the  heralds.* 

They  immediately  started  through  the  vil 
lage,  proclaiming  the  time  appointed  for  the 
council. 

While  Mr.  E was  thus  engaged,  the  rest 

of  the  party  drew  round  the  fire  to  discuss  the 
different  events  of  the  day.  The  bear-skin, 
forming  the  inner  door  of  the  lodge,  was  slowly 
raised,  and  a  female  stepped  timidly  in,  and 
moved  rapidly,  and  evidently  with  a  desire  to 
escape  observation,  into  the  darkest  part  of  the 
lodge.  Her  whole  appearance  bespoke  her  a 
stranger. 

*  These  heralds  are  self-elected,  and  are  composed  of  the 
oldest  men  in  the  village,  who  run  through  the  town  to  spread 
the  orders  of  the  chief. 

When  no  such  service  is  required,  they  amuse  themselves  by 
stalking  round  the  village,  yelling  out  advice  to  the  young 
men,  with  voices  which  may  be  heard  at  the  distance  of  a 
mile,  but  which,  as  far  as  I  was  able  to  judge,  was  but  little 
attended  to. 


178  Kioway  Female. 

She  was  beautiful  and  timid.  She  was  the 
wife  of  the  Kioway  Indian,  and  her  dress  was 
of  a  richness  corresponding  with  his.  A  bright 
band  of  silver  was  fastened  round  her  neck;  a 
small  jacket  of  scarlet  cloth,  the  spoil  of  some 
pillaged  caravan,  edged  with  silver  lace  and 
beads,  was  secured  round  her  waist  and  breast, 
with  scarlet  ribands,  and  a  long  garment  of 
blue  cloth  enveloped  the  rest  of  her  form. 
Like  her  husband,  she  wore  medals  of  silver 
upon  her  breast,  and  bracelets  of  the  same 
upon  her  wrists.  Her  moccasins,  also,  were 
more  finely  ornamented  than  those  of  the  Paw 
nee  women  who  were  seated  around. 

From  the  moment  of  her  entrance  she  be 
came  the  object  of  attraction  to  all  eyes. 

Observing  this,  she  withdrew  into  one  of  the 
berths,  and  dropping  in  front  of  her  a  screen 
of  grass  matting,  remained  there  for  the  rest 
of  the  day. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 
Grand  Pawnee  Village — The  Council. 

THE  second  day  after  our  arrival  was  ap 
pointed  for  holding  the  council.  It  was 
a  fine  frosty  morning. 

A  number  of  us  left  the  lodge  early  Monday 
morning,  and  strolled  towards  the  Platte.  A 
few  gaunt  wolf-dogs  were  prowling  about  in 
search  of  food. 

The  savages  had  not  yet  left  their  lairs,  ex 
cept  one  or  two,  muffled  in  their  robes,  who,  at 
sight  of  us,  hurried  off  to  give  information  that 
the  strangers  were  stirring.  Occasionally,  as 
we  passed  the  dark  funnel-like  mouth  of  a 
lodge,  a  face  would  be  seen,  cautiously  looking 
out,  and  after  staring  at  us  for  an  instant, 
would  vanish  into  the  interior  to  call  out  the 
rest  of  the  inhabitants. 

We  had  not  gone  far  before  a  dozen  dogs 
followed  at  our  heels,  baring  their  teeth,  and 
uttering  deep  growls  ;  and  showing  that  how- 
179 


180  Grand  Pawnee   Village. 

ever  welcome  our  appearance  might  be  to  the 
Indians,  there  were  some  members  of  the  village 
who  did  not  participate  in  the  general  feeling. 

In  spite,  however,  of  this  show  of  ill-will,  we 
continued  our  walk  until  we  reached  the  Platte, 
where  we  seated  ourselves  upon  the  trunk  of  a 
fallen  tree. 

In  the  meantime  the  Indians  had  received 
intelligence  of  our  movements,  and  began 
to  edge  towards  the  stream.  The  children 
came  running  openly  and  in  droves.  The  old 
men  and  warriors  sauntered  along  towards  the 
water,  and  came  down  upon  us  as  if  by  acci 
dent.  Others,  more  modest,  crouched  down 
in  the  long  grass,  creeping  stealthily  forward, 
until  every  stump  and  bush  seemed  to  be  filled 
with  curious  faces. 

Nearest  to  us  was  a  tall,  thin  Indian,  clad  in 
an  old  worn-out  buffalo-robe,  who  was  scanning 
our  every  movement  with  much  curiosity. 

At  length  one  of  the  party  wishing  to  inquire 
about  our  horses,  beckoned  him  forward.  This 
was  a  signal  for  all  the  rest.  They  came  troop 
ing  up  under  the  pretence  of  giving  informa 
tion,  and  upon  every  sign  made  by  us  about  a 
dozen  gabbled  out  unintelligible  answers. 


Grand  Pawnee    Village.  181 

After  spending  about  half  an  hour  upon  the 
river  bank,  and  finding  that  nothing  was  to  be 
gained  in  the  way  of  information,  we  returned 
to  the  village. 

It  was  now  quite  astir.  The  men  lounging 
around ;  the  children  were  rolling  and  tum 
bling  in  the  dirt  ;  the  squaws  were  engaged  in 
bringing  from  their  lodges  leather  sacks  of 
shelled  corn  and  spreading  it  out  to  dry  upon 
buffalo-skins  which  were  stretched  out  upon 
the  ground. 

Others  were  cleansing  it  from  the  decayed 
kernels  and  packing  it  up  in  small  sacks  of  a 
whitish  undressed  leather  resembling  parch 
ment.  These  were  then  deposited  in  cache- 
holes  *  for  a  winter's  store. 

At  a  distance  from  the  village  a  band  of 
females  were  slowly  wending  their  way  along 
the  top  of  one  of  the  prairie  ridges  to  their 

*  The  cache  is  a  large  hole  dug  in  the  ground,  like  a  cistern. 
It  is  narrow  at  the  top  (about  four  feet  in  diameter)  but  wider 
as  it  descends,  until  its  form  somewhat  resembles  that  of  a  jug. 
It  will  contain  about  an  hundred  bushels  of  corn.  Upon  leav 
ing  their  villages  the  Indians  deposit  the  corn  which  is  to  serve 
for  their  winter's  store  in  granaries  of  this  description,  and 
cover  the  apertures  with  earth,  so  that  it  is  impossible  for  a 
person  unacquainted  with  their  exact  position  to  discover  the 
entrance.  The  name  cache  is  given  by  the  French  traders, 
who  derive  it  from  the  word  cacher  (to  conceal). 


1 82  Grand  Pawnee   Village. 

daily  labor  in  the  plantations  of  corn,  which 
are  scattered  in  every  direction  round  the  vil 
lage,  wherever  a  spot  of  rich  black  soil  gives 
promise  of  a  harvest.  Some  of  them  are  eight 
miles  distant  from  the  town. 

There  is  a  fearful  uncertainty  hanging  round 
the  lives  of  these  females.  At  the  rising  of 
the  sun  they  depart  to  their  toil,  often  never 
to  return. 

They  are  constantly  exposed  to  the  attacks 
of  lurking  foes  on  the  watch  to  cut  off  strag. 
glers,  and  who  come  and  go  with  equal  silence 
and  celerity,  and  whose  presence  is  unknown 
until  the  long  absence  of  a  woman,  or  the  dis 
covery  of  a  mutilated  body,  found  after  the 
lapse  of  several  days,  conveys  a  sad  notice  that 
the  hand  of  the  destroyer  has  been  busy  among 
them. 

As  we  proceeded,  the  dogs  of  the  town 
formed  a  tra*!n  behind  us,  with  the  same  ex 
pression  of  ill-will  that  had  been  manifested 
by  their  predecessors.  But  this  display  of 
rancor  was  of  short  duration,  for  a  tattered 
Indian,  as  dirty  as  he  was  ragged,  rushed  out 
from  one  of  the  lodges,  and  with  a  few  vigor 
ous  applications  of  his  foot  scattered  the  troop, 


The  Council  183 

who,  with  slouched  tails,  fled  yelping  and 
howling  in  every  direction. 

Our  attention  was  now  called  to  the  old 
heralds,  who  were  stalking  through  the  town, 
shouting  at  the  top  of  their  lungs,  and  an 
nouncing  the  time  and  place  of  the  coming 
council.  Occasionally  they  stopped  to  gossip 
with  some  gray-headed  crony,  who  stood 
blinking  like  an  owl  at  the  entrance  of  his 
dwelling. 

At  other  times  they  paused  to  bestow  a 
lecture  upon  some  urchin  guilty  of  a  breach 
of  decorum  towards  their  guests. 

Upon  reaching  the  lodge  of  the  chief,  we 
found  that  active  preparations  had  been  made 
for  holding  the  council.  The  goods  and  pres 
ents  which  had  been  received  hastily  into  the 
building  were  now  piled  up  carefully.  The 
lodge  had  been  swept  clean  ;  a  bright  fire  was 
burning  in  the  centre  ;  the  crowd  of  loungers 
and  hangers-on  had  been  routed  ;  and  besides 
the  family  of  the  chief,  we  were  the  only  occu 
pants  of  the  spacious  building. 

At  mid-day  the  chiefs  and  braves  began  to 
assemble.  They  were  in  full  dress,  and  many 
of  the  young  men  had  spent  the  whole  morn- 


1 84  The  Council. 

ing  in  preparation,  and  now  presented  them 
selves  fully  ornamented  for  the  occasion. 

As  the  hour  for  the  opening  of  the  council 
grew  nearer,  the  warriors  came  in  singly  and 
in  groups. 

As  they  entered,  they  seated  themselves, 
until  five  or  six  circles  were  formed,  one 
beyond  the  other,  the  last  being  against  the 
wall  of  the  building.  In  the  ring  nearest  the 
chief  sat  the  principal  braves,  or  those  warriors 
whose  deeds  entitled  them  to  a  high  rank  in 
the  councils  of  the  nation.  The  more  distant 
circles  were  filled  by  such  young  men  of  the 
village  as  were  admitted  to  its  councils. 

The  passage  leading  to  the  open  air  was 
filled  with  women  and  children,  who  were  not 
admitted. 

In  the  course  of  half  an  hour  nearly  all  the 
principal  warriors  had  assembled. 

The  chief  then  filled  a  large  stone  pipe,  and 
lighting  it,  drew  a  few  puffs,  inhaling  the 
smoke  into  his  lungs,  and  blowing  it  out  in 
long  blasts  through  his  nostrils. 

He  then  passed  it  to  the  whites,  who,  each 
having  inhaled  a  few  whirls  in  their  turn, 
handed  it  to  their  neighbors.  These  again 


The  Council.  185 

passed  it  on  until  it  had  made  the  circuit  of 
the  whole  assembly. 

While  this  was  going  on  our  attention  was 
attracted  to  a  violent  commotion  in  the  pas 
sage.  In  a  moment  afterwards  the  naked 
head  and  shoulders  of  the  Wild  Horse  towered 
above  the  crowd.  He  forced  his  way  through 
and  seated  himself  in  the  inner  ring,  leaning 
his  back  against  one  of  the  pillars  which  sup 
ported  the  roof.  The  chief  scowled  grimly  at 
the  disturbance  caused  by  his  entrance. 

The  Wild  Horse,  however,  was  a  giant 
whose  wrath  was  not  to  be  courted,  and  the 
matter  passed  off  in  silence. 

After  a  short  time  the  Commissioner  rose 
and  addressed  the  council,  stating  the  views  of 
the  United  States,  and,  at  the  same  time,  the 
conditions  of  the  treaty. 

During  the  whole  of  the  address  all  sat 
silent  with  their  eyes  fixed  upon  the  speaker, 
though  now  and  then  some  proposal,  which 
met  with  peculiar  approbation,  would  elicit  a 
grunt  of  approval  from  the  deep,  sonorous 
chests  of  the  whole  assemblage  when  the  in- 
terpreter  translated  it. 

When  the  Commissioner  had   finished,  the 


1 86  The  Council. 

chief  of  the  Grand  Pawnees  rose,  and  for  a 
few  moments  stood  facing  the  Commissioner 
in  silence  ;  then  stepping  forward,  he  threw 
back  his  head,  and  raised  his  arm,  with  one  of 
the  fingers  slightly  extended,  as  if  to  com 
mand  attention.  He  then  paused  and  looked 
around.  The  pause  was  momentary,  and  with 
out  moving  the  position  of  his  arm  he  com 
menced  his  reply. 

It  was  short,  energetic,  and  abounding  with 
all  the  high-wrought  figures  of  Indian  oratory. 
As  he  proceeded  he  grew  more  and  more  ani 
mated,  and  his  finely  modulated  voice  grew 
loud  and  strong.  He  threw  his  robe  from  his 
shoulders,  and  waved  his  bare  arms  over  our 
heads  with  wild  gesticulation. 

Had  it  not  been  for  his  words  of  friendship, 
our  fancies  would  have  led  us  to  imagine  that 
he  intended  to  scalp  us  on  the  spot.  Suddenly 
he  dropped  his  voice  to  its  usual  guttural 
tones,  and  in  a  short  time  finished  his  ha 
rangue. 

After  him  his  son,  the  second  chief  of  the 
tribe,  rose  and  commenced  an  address.  While 
he  was  speaking,  voices  were  heard  in  angry 
altercation  at  the  far  end  of  the  lodge. 


The  Council.  187 

The  Wild  Horse  was  crouching  at  the  foot 
of  one  of  the  pillars,  with  his  hands  interlocked, 
his  arms  encompassing  his  legs,  and  his  body 
nearly  hid  by  the  long  matted  hair  which  hung 
over  it. 

He  was  roused  by  the  disturbance  ;  but  at 
first  contented  himself  by  an  occasional  sharp 
word  addressed  to  the  disputants.  This  si 
lenced  them  for  a  few  moments  ;  but  at  last 
their  voices  broke  out  into  open  clamor.  The 
savage  started  to  his  feet,  stalked  among  them, 
shook  his  brawny  arms  over  their  heads,  and 
growled  a  few  words  in  their  ears.  This  had  a 
magical  effect.  The  voices  sank,  and  the  noise 
was  hushed.  For  a  few  moments  he  stood  over 
them,  and  then  again  crouched  at  the  foot  of 
the  pillar,  and  the  chief  proceeded  in  his 
speech. 

After  him,  several  chiefs  spoke,  welcoming 
the  party  to  their  village  with  the  kindest  ex 
pressions  of  hospitality.  At  the  same  time, 
they  expressed  their  entire  acquiescence  in  the 
terms  of  the  treaty. 

Several  of  the  braves  and  warriors  spoke  to 
the  same  effect.  When  they  had  concluded,  the 
next  day  was  appointed  for  signing  the  treaty. 


1 88  The  Council. 

The  pipe  was  again  passed  around,  and  the 
council  breaking  up,  the  warriors  left  the 
lodge. 

During  the  whole  of  the  deliberation,  which 
lasted  about  six  hours,  the  interior  of  the  build 
ing  was  excessively  hot. 

When  the  meeting  was  over  we  strolled  out 
into  the  prairie  and  returned  to  our  tents. 


CHAPTER    XXV. 

Receiving  Horses — Departure  from  Grand  Paw 
nees — Crossing  the  Platte —  The  lot  an  s  Wife. 

WE  remained  several  days  with  this  tribe, 
but  the  morning  at  length  arrived 
when  we  were  to  take  our  leave  of  them,  and 
shape  our  course  for  the  village  of  the  Pawnee 
Republicans,  which  is  situated  upon  the  Loup 
fork  of  the  Platte  River,  about  twenty  miles 
distant. 

The  couriers  appointed  to  carry  the  tidings 
of  our  visit  to  them  had  left  the  village  the 
night  before.  We  were  now  drawn  out  in  front 
of  the  lodge,  awaiting  the  movements  of  the 
soldiers,  who  were  driving  in  the  horses  which 
had  pastured  on  the  islands  of  the  Platte. 

The  chief  of  the  Pawnee  Republican  village, 
after  lingering  with  us  until  the  last  moment, 
started  to  ford  the  river,  and  after  he  had 
crossed  it  we  could  perceive  in  the  dim  dis 
tance  his  white  horse  skimming  like  a  bird  over 
the  crests  of  the  hills. 

189 


190  Receiving  Horses. 

He  was  pushing  forward  to  reach  his  village 
and  marshal  his  warriors  for  our  reception. 

In  about  half  an  hour  our  soldiers  returned 
with  the  horses,  and  commenced  saddling  them 
for  the  march. 

In  the  meantime,  those  Indians  who  had 
promised  presents  of  horses  on  the  first  day  of 
our  meeting,  brought  them  up.  A  young  In 
dian  first  came  forward,  leading  up  a  jet-black 
mare  ;  after  him  followed  another,  holding  in 
his  hand  a  long  buffalo  tug,  or  halter,  which  re 
strained  the  wild  motions  of  a  two-years-old 
colt.  His  color  was  snowy  white,  here  and 
there  broken  with  spots  of  brown.  He  had 
been  caught  wild  from  the  prairies  but  a  few 
weeks  before,  and  had  never  been  mounted. 

They  led  him  up  in  his  native  wildness  ;  his 
tail  stood  out,  his  ears  were  pricked  up,  his 
eyes  starting,  his  nostrils  expanded,  and  every 
hair  of  his  long  mane  seemed  erect  with  terror. 

At  one  moment  he  dashed  around  at  the  full 
stretch  of  the  long  tug  which  secured  him  ; 
then  pausing,  and  shaking  his  long  mane  over 
his  head,  he  fixed  the  gaze  of  his  almost  burst 
ing  eyes  upon  his  captor. 

Then  raising  his  head  and  casting  a  long,  lin- 


Receiving  Horses.  191 

gering,  and  almost  despairing  gaze  upon  the 
hills  of  the  prairie,  which  till  then  had  been 
his  home,  he  made  a  desperate  leap  forward, 
dragging  to  the  ground  the  Indian  who  held 
the  end  of  his  halter.  Others  rushed  to  the 
Indian's  assistance.  Several  attempted  to  get 
near  the  horse,  but  he  reared  upon  his  hind 
legs  and  kept  them  at  bay  with  rapid  and  pow 
erful  blows  of  his  forefeet.  At  length  a  young 
Indian  threw  off  his  robe  and  crept  up  behind 
him.  With  a  sudden  leap  he  landed  upon  his 
back  and  seized  the  tug.  Before  this  the  ef 
forts  of  the  animal  had  been  violent ;  but  when 
he  felt  the  burden  and  the  curbing  hand  of  his 
rider,  he  uttered  a  shrill  and  almost  frantic 
scream,  and  bounded  in  the  air  like  a  cat ;  he 
reared  and  plunged,  but  in  vain  ;  his  rider  was 
a  master  hand,  and  retained  his  seat  unmoved. 
He  curbed  him  in,  and  lashed  him  with  his 
whip  until  he  crouched  like  a  dog  upon  the 
prairie. 

His  spirit  was  crushed,  and  the  last  spark  of 
freedom  was  extinguished.  Shortly  after,  one 
of  the  hunters  tied  a  pack  upon  his  back.  He 
made  no  resistance,  and  they  led  him  off  with 
the  rest. 


192  Receiving  Horses. 

In  the  meantime  the  other  Indians  led  up 
their  horses.  It  was  evident  that  several  of 
them  had  made  their  promises  in  the  excite 
ment  of  the  moment. 

They  were  now  fulfilling  them  as  matters  of 
conscience,  not  of  inclination  ;  and  their  horses 
were  valuable  in  proportion.  One  was  lame, 
another  blind ;  one  had  large  patches  of  skin 
rubbed  off  his  back,  and  the  ears  of  another 
were  cropped  close  to  his  head. 

It  was  evident  that  they  had  selected  the 
very  worst  of  their  animals,  but  one  after  an 
other  they  came  lingering  up,  until  one  Indian 
alone  lagged  behind.  The  chief  inquired  for 
him,  and  was  told  that  he  had  gone  out  to 
search  for  his  horse.  Ten  minutes  elapsed.  At 
last  there  was  a  movement  in  the  crowd,  and  a 
sly-looking,  white-headed  old  fellow  made  his 
way  through  it.  In  his  hand  he  held  the  end 
of  a  long  buffalo  tug;  the  other  was  secured  to 
his  horse. 

Such  a  horse !  he  was  blind  of  both  eyes  ;  his 
tail  had  been  cut  off  short  to  his  rump  ;  his  ribs 
stood  out  in  bold  relief,  and  his  very  joints 
creaked  as  he  walked  stiffly  after  his  leader. 
As  for  his  age  there  was  no  mode  of  tell- 


Departure  from  Grand  Pawnees.    193 

ing  it,  as  it  is  probable  that  his  teeth  had  long 
since  dropped  out ;  but  it  must  have  been 
incalculable. 

There  was  a  smothered  giggling  among  the 
women  and  a  downright  squall  of  laughter 
among  the  children,  as  the  horse  stalked  for 
wards  towards  its  future  owner. 

The  old  Indian  moved  towards  the  Commis 
sioner,  and,  without  raising  his  head,  placed  the 
end  of  the  halter  in  the  hand  of  one  of  the 
soldiers.  There  was  a  deal  of  mischief  in  his 
look,  and  I  could  hear  a  low  chuckle  beneath 
the  folds  of  his  robe,  as  he  drew  it  up  over  his 
face  and  disappeared  among  the  crowd. 

We  now  mounted  and  started  at  a  rapid  pace 
for  the  river.  The  heavy  lumbering  wagons 
followed  slowly,  and  a  train  made  up  of  about 
half  the  village  brought  up  the  rear. 

Upon  reaching  the  banks  we  found  that  the 
Otoes  were  already  on  their  way  through  the 
river.  Some  were  wading  up  to  their  arm-pits  ; 
others  had  missed  the  ford  and  were  swept 
down  the  stream,  holding  their  blankets  high 
over  their  heads  to  keep  them  dry,  as  they 
struggled  across  the  current. 

Other  Otoes,  mounted  on  horses  which  they 


1 94    Departure  from  Grand  Pawnees. 

had  trafficked  for  with  the  Pawnees,  were  ford 
ing  the  shallow  parts  of  the  river,  or  clinging 
to  the  manes  of  their  steeds,  as  they  missed 
the  ford  and  fell  into  the  deep  current. 

The  river  at  this  place  was  very  wide,  here 
and  there  interspersed  with  small  islands. 

The  depth  was  varying;  in  some  places  it 
was  but  a  few  inches,  in  others  it  must  have 
been  from  ten  to  twenty  feet.  At  one  moment 
the  water  scarce  reached  the  fetlocks  of  your 
horse,  the  next  step  sent  him  floundering  up 
to  the  holsters. 

After  reaching  the  banks  a  short  consultation 
was  held.  The  heavy  baggage  wagons  were 
sent  forward,  with  two  Indians  to  guide  them 
over  the  fords.  After  them  followed  the  dear 
born  wagons.  One  was  driven  by  an  old  sol 
dier,  who  kept  steadily  in  the  wake  of 
the  teams.  Two  mules  drew  the  other. 
They  were  driven  by  Joe,  who  was  seated  upon 
the  dash-board  of  the  wagon,  swearing  in 
broken  English,  sometimes  at  the  animals,  and 
at  others  at  the  slow  pace  of  the  oxen  which 
dragged  the  wagons  in  front.  For  some  time 
he  followed  steadily  in  their  wake ;  but  at 
length  his  patience  became  exhausted,  and 


Departure  from  Grand  Pawnees.     195 

he  determined  to  drive  forward  at  all  haz 
ards. 

He  plied  his  whip  upon  the  flanks  of  the 
mules. 

At  the  first  application  they  stopped  short ; 
at  the  second  they  kicked  up  as  well  as  the 
water  would  permit ;  but  at  the  third  they 
commenced  moving  forward,  for  they  had 
learnt  by  long  experience  that  the  patience  and 
perseverance  of  their  driver  in  the  application 
of  the  lash  was  greater  than  their  ability  to 
endure  it. 

Half  a  dozen  steps  brought  the  water  up  to 
the  bottom  of  the  wagon.  The  mules  hesitated, 
but  the  driver  still  whipped.  Another  half  a 
dozen  steps  and  the  water  gushed  over  the 
sides  of,  and  into,  the  wagon.  Joe  stood  up 
and  whipped  harder  than  ever.  The  wagon 
was  now  full  of  water,  in  the  midst  of  which 
stood  Joe  pouring  out  volleys  of  maledictions  in 
broken  French ;  but  now  the  mules  had  rest, 
for  he  had  to  use  his  whip-hand  to  hold  up  the 
skirts  of  his  blanket  overcoat,  and,  as  the  mules 
did  not  understand  French,  the  force  of  his 
anathemas  was  lost  upon  them. 

At   length,   however,   the   deep    water   was 


196  The  lotaris  Wife. 

passed,  and  the  wagon  reached  the  shore  and 
toiled  slowly  up  the  opposite  bank. 

The  rest  of  the  party  then  commenced  their 
march  in  single  file  across  the  ford,  keeping  in 
a  line  with  an  Indian,  who  led  the  way;  but 
some  of  us,  missing  the  ford,  went  a  short 
distance  down  the  stream,  where  we  reached  a 
small  island,  and  scrambling  up  its  bank,  gal 
loped  across  to  the  opposite  side. 

Here  we  found  a  wife  of  the  lotan,  standing 
at  the  edge  of  the  water.  She  was  to  accom 
pany  him  on  this  expedition.  She  was  young, 
tall,  and  finely  formed  ;  and  her  face,  next  to 
that  of  the  wife  of  the  Kioway  Indian,  was  the 
handsomest  we  had  met  with.  Her  hair  was 
parted  above  her  forehead,  and  hung  down 
upon  her  shoulders.  A  small  jacket,  of  blue 
cloth,  was  fastened  round  her  shoulders  and 
breast,  and  a  mantle  of  the  same  was  wrapped 
around  her  body.  They  had  been  presented 
to  her  by  the  Commissioner  but  a  few  days  be 
fore.  She  was  standing  upon  a  small  sand-bar, 
and  the  water  was  gurgling  around  her  feet. 

She  looked  at  the  water  and  then  at  her  dress, 
with  an  expression  of  almost  childish  sorrow ; 
for  to  swim  the  river  would  ruin  her  finery. 


The  lotari s  Wife.  197 

The  Indians  had  all  reached  the  opposite 
bank,  so  that  no  assistance  could  be  expected 
from  them. 

Just  then  the  hunters  dashed  by  her,  but  did 
not  even  notice  her.  I  was  the  last  of  the 
party,  and  she  knew  it ;  for  though  we  could 
not  speak  the  same  language,  there  was  an  im 
ploring  expression  in  her  large  dark  eyes  as 
she  looked  at  me,  that  told  every  thing,  Still 
I  hesitated  ;  I  thought  of  pushing  on ;  there 
was  a  powerful  struggle  between  selfishness 
and  a  desire  to  assist  her.  She  saw  it,  and 
speaking  a  few  words  in  her  own  silvery  tongue, 
at  the  same  time  pointed  to  her  new  dress. 

There  was  something  so  sorrowful  in  the  tone 
and  gesture  that  I  could  not  resist  it. 

I  took  my  rifle  in  my  left  hand,  and  reaching 
out  my  right,  she  seized  it,  placed  her  foot  on 
mine,  and  with  a  sudden  bound  was  upon  the 
back  of  my  horse,  stooping  behind  me,  with  her 
arms  round  my  neck. 

My  horse  had  so  long  been  accustomed 
to  have  his  own  way  in  every  thing,  that 
he  grew  very  indignant  at  this  new  imposi 
tion,  but  a  lunge  of  the  spurs  subdued  his 
opposition,  and  he  pushed  forward  into  the 


198  The  lotaris  Wife. 

river.  He  was  a  powerful  animal,  and  took  to 
the  water  like  a  sea-fowl.  The  river  had  a 
swift  current  around  us,  and  the  water  reached 
nearly  to  the  saddle,  and  we  could  feel  the 
strong  nervous  quivering  of  the  horse's  limbs, 
as  he  bore  up  against  it.  But  occasionally, 
as  he  went  snorting  along,  he  cast  back  spite 
ful  glances  at  his  riders.  I  expected  mischief, 
and  it  came  to  pass.  As  we  gained  the  shore, 
his  heels  flew  up,  the  arms  of  the  squaw  were 
jerked  from  my  neck,  and  I  saw  her  describing 
a  curve  through  the  air;  but  she  landed  upon 
her  feet  and  received  no  injury. 

The  Indians  raised  a  shout  of  laughter,  and 
the  horse,  satisfied  with  being  relieved  from  his 
extra  burden,  jogged  quietly  on  towards  the 
Republican  village. 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

Journey  to  the  Republican  Village ',  and  Reception. 

IN  about  half  an  hour  all  the  stragglers  be 
longing  to  our  party  had  crossed  the  river 
and  collected  together  on  its  bank. 

As  we  looked  back  at  the  Indian  town,  we 
could  see  the  tops  of  the  lodges  crowded  with 
men,  women,  and  children,  watching  us,  prob 
ably  in  the  expectation  that  our  heavy  ox 
teams  would  meet  with  mishap  on  the  passage, 
but  nothing  of  that  kind  had  occurred,  and 
the  Indians  who  had  crossed  with  us,  either  as 
guides  or  to  lend  a  helping  hand  in  case  of 
emergency,  now  prepared  to  return. 

After  sunning  themselves  to  take  off  the 
chill  they  had  received  in  the  water,  they  again 
betook  themselves  to  the  river — some  swim 
ming  and  some  wading,  as  they  happened  to 
hit  or  miss  the  ford. 

We  were  already  on  our  march,  and  as  we 
looked  back  from  the  top  of  a  small  hill,  we 
199 


2oo    Journey  to  the  Republican  Village. 

could  see  dark  forms  scattered  over  the  whole 
breadth  of  the  river. 

The  distance  between  the  Grand  Pawnee 
and  the  Pawnee  Republican  Village  is  about 
twenty  miles. 

The  latter  is  situated  upon  what  is  called 
the  Loup  fork  of  the  Platte  River,  and  is  about 
the  same  in  size  as  that  of  the  Grand  Pawnees. 
The  different  portions  of  the  Pawnee  tribe 
were  formerly  united.  In  the  course  of  time, 
however,  as  their  numbers  increased,  the  diffi 
culty  of  obtaining  timber  for  fuel  and  building 
also  increased,  until  at  last  they  divided  into 
four  distinct  bands,  each  under  a  separate 
chief.  The  first  seated  itself  upon  the  Repub 
lican  fork  of  the  Platte,  and  is  known  by  the 
name  of  the  Grand  Pawnee  tribe.  The  other 
three  located  themselves  upon  the  Loup  fork 
of  the  same  river,  and  are  distinguished  by 
the  names  of  the  Republican  Pawnees,  the 
Tappage  Pawnees,  and  the  Pawnee  Loups. 

They  are  altogether  distinct  from  the  Pawnee 
Picks. 

During  our  stay  among  the  Grand  Pawnees, 
we  found  a  Pawnee  Pick  residing  among  them, 
but  his  language  was  unintelligible  to  the  whole 


Journey  to  the  Republican  Village.    201 

nation,  with  the  exception  of  one  Indian,  who 
had  lived  among  the  Picks. 

Our  path  now  lay  across  the  prairie.  An  ad 
vance  guard  of  Pawnees  took  the  lead.  Some 
times  they  were  but  ten  or  fifteen  rods  ahead 
of  us,  and  then  would  push  forward  until  out 
of  sight. 

Behind  us  followed  our  little  band  of  Otoes  ; 
all  on  foot,  except  the  wife  of  the  lotan  chief. 

She  had  contrived,  by  her  winning  arts,  to 
soften  the  flinty  nature  of  the  old  iron-sided 
soldier  who  drove  one  of  the  wagons,  so  as  to 
get  a  seat  upon  a  pile  of  bear-skins,  composing 
our  bedding. 

Here  she  exerted  herself,  to  maintain  her 
hold  on  the  good-will  of  the  veteran  Jehu,  by 
narrating  to  him,  by  gestures,  an  account  of  her 
passage  over  the  Platte. 

The  soldier  listened  with  good-humor,  and 
occasionally  condescended  to  smile,  when,  by 
her  gesticulation,  the  story  appeared  to  warrant 
it  the  most.  At  length  one  of  his  comrades 
asked  : 

"  What  are  you  and  the  wife  of  lotan  laugh 
ing  at,  Mack." 

"  Curse  me  if  I  know,"  retorted  the  other. 


202     Journey  to  the  Republican  Village. 

"  The  squaw  keeps  up  such  a  bloody  cackling, 
I  suppose  there  must  be  a  joke  somewhere,  and 
so  I  laughed." 

After  a  few  hours,  we  passed  a  solitary  tree 
which  stood,  like  a  sentinel,  over  a  small  spring 
at  its  foot  ;  the  source  of  a  brook  which  had 
crossed  our  path  during  the  route.  The  tree 
was  old  and  tempest-torn,  but  still  sturdy. 

If  aught  might  be  judged  from  its  gnarled 
and  fantastically  twisted  branches,  it  had  for 
years  held  its  ground  in  bitter  strife  with  the 
fires  and  tornadoes  which  sweep  the  prairies. 

We  felt  a  kind  of  companionship  with  this 
"  veteran  of  the  storms,"  and,  as  if  by  common 
consent,  both  Indians  and  whites  came  to  a 
halt,  to  drink  the  water  which  gushed  out  at 
its  roots. 

Having  rested  our  horses  we  again  pushed 
on,  and  after  a  laborious  journey  through  the 
high  grass  we  came  near  the  Pawnee  town. 

On  the  hills  we  descried  large  droves  of  In 
dian  ponies  gazing  at  us — no  doubt  wondering 
who  we  were,  and  whence  came  the  strange  ani 
mals  which  were  dragging  our  heavy  ox  wagons. 

We  also  perceived  in  the  distance  groups  of 
Indians,  some  on  foot  and  some  mounted,  but 


Journey  to  the  Republican  Village.     203 

all  apparently  on  the  watch  for  us  ;  for  as  soon 
as  we  came  in  sight  they  dashed  off  and  disap 
peared  behind  a  hill. 

We  kept  on  until  we  ascended  the  hill  which 
the  Indians  had  left,  and  from  its  top  had 
a  full  view  of  a  prairie  which  extended  from 
its  foot  to  the  Platte  River,  upon  trie  opposite 
bank  of  which  was  the  Pawnee  town,  built 
upon  a  bluff. 

The  plain  was  swarming  with  Indians. 

It  was  evident  that  we  had  arrived  sooner 
than  they  had  expected,  and  that  they  were  not 
ready  to  receive  us. 

The  chief,  on  a  white  horse,  galloped  to  and 
fro,  giving  orders,  and  assigning  stations  to 
different  squads  as  they  came  up ;  but  all  were 
apparently  awaiting  the  arrival  of  a  band  of 
horsemen  who  were  making  their  way  across 
the  Platte. 

As  soon  as  they  came  up  the  chief  despatched 
a  courier  to  us. 

He  came  at  full  gallop  and  stopped  his  horse 
in  front  of  us  by  bringing  him  up  with  a  jerk 
that  nearly  threw  him  on  his  haunches. 

He  bore  a  request  from  the  chief  that  the 
party  would  descend  to  the  plain,  where  he 
could  receive  them  in  better  style. 


204    Journey  to  the  Republican  Village. 

This  request  was  complied  with,  and  our 
party  halted  to  await  what  was  to  come  next. 

Some  time  elapsed  while  the  chief  rode  to 
and  fro  among  the  Indians,  whom  he  had  di 
vided  into  different  bands  ;  but  at  last  he  waved 
his  arm,  which  was  the  signal  for  his  men  to 
move,  and  at  the  same  time  gave  a  loud  whoop, 
which  was  answered  by  yells  from  hundreds  of 
throats. 

Although  accustomed  to  these  sounds,  and 
although  we  knew  that  all  this  was  a  part  of 
a  friendly  ceremonial,  the  yells  made  us  fairly 
to  shiver. 

At  the  signal  the  horsemen  dashed  for 
ward. 

At  first  their  movements  were  regular,  but 
before  a  hundred  yards  had  been  passed  each 
man  sent  up  his  shrillest  cry,  urged  his  steed 
to  his  utmost  speed,  and  the  whole  horde  came 
dashing  in  wild  confusion.  At  the  distance  of 
about  a  hundred  yards  in  front  of  us  the  three 
divisions  met ;  then  separating,  the  torrent 
whirled  round  us  at  the  same  mad  gait.  In 
the  midst  of  them  we  could  see  the  chief,  urg 
ing  his  horse  around  in  the  innermost  circle ; 
and  above  the  din  of  whoops  and  yells  we 


Journey  to  the  Republican  Village.    205 

could  hear  his  voice,  cheering  his  men  on  in 
their  mad  gallop. 

After  a  short  time  he  made  another  signal, 
and  the  band  stopped.  Then  dismounting, 
many  of  them  removed  the  tugs  from  their 
breasts,  and  let  them  run  loose  over  the  prairie. 

The  chiefs,  however,  and  the  principal  men 
still  remained  and  seated  themselves  around 
us,  after  which,  the  same  ceremony  of  present 
ing  horses,  which  had  taken  place  at  the  arrival 
of  the  party  at  the  village  of  the  Grand  Paw 
nees,  was  repeated. 

About  the  same  number  were  given  as  on 
the  preceding  occasion.  As  before,  the  old 
men  who  had  nothing  to  offer,  made  up  for  it 
in  speeches,  exhorting  others  to  munificence. 

When  this  ceremony  was  finished  the  circle 
opened,  and  our  troop  again  mounting,  pre 
pared  for  their  journey  to  the  village. 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

Indian  Mischief— Crossing  the  Loup  Fork  of  the 
Platte — Entrance  in  the  Republican  Village. 

NO  sooner  did  the  chief  give  the  signal  to 
move,  than  the  dark  ring  round  us 
was  broken,  and  the  whole  crowd  of  Indians 
streamed  across  the  prairie  on  their  way  to  their 
village.  The  horses  which  had  been  cast  loose 
careered  wildly  around  the  crowd,  and  the 
mounted  horsemen  dashed  about  to  show  their 
skill. 

If  any  thing  could  give  to  an  inexperienced 
person  an  idea  of  a  field  of  battle,  where  man 
and  horse  are  alike  urged  on  by  a  reckless  dis 
regard  of  neck  and  limb,  it  is  a  scene  like  this. 

There  was  a  striking  contrast  between  the 
conduct  of  the  old  influential  chiefs  and  that 
of  the  young  warriors.  The  first  rode  quietly 
with  the  party,  and  there  was  something  even 
stern  in  the  fixed  repose  of  their  painted  faces  »' 
but  the  young  fellows  dashed  about  hither  and 
206 


Indian  Mischief.  207 

thither,  and  occasionally  unhorsed  a  poor  rider 
to  their  great  delight. 

During  the  whole  way  from  the  plain  to  the 
bank  of  the  river  the  party  kept  compactly 
together. 

At  length,  however,  one  of  the  soldiers, 
mounted  upon  a  powerful  horse,  gradually 
edged  away  until  he  was  about  fifty  yards 
distant  from  the  main  body. 

It  was  done  without  thought,  and  probably 
for  the  sake  of  gaining  space  that  his  horse 
might  move  more  freely.  Here  the  spirit  of 
mischief  in  the  young  Indians  began  to  display 
itself  in  pranks  which  some  of  them  attempted 
to  play  upon  him.  They  would  gallop  across 
his  path,  and  in  passing  flap  their  robes  over 
the  eyes  of  his  horse,  causing  him  to  rear  and 
plunge.  This  was  a  source  of  great  annoyance 
to  the  rider,  who  was  not  the  best  horseman  in 
the  world,  and  had  been  mounted  on  that  day 
more  for  the  sake  of  show  than  from  any  desire 
of  his  own. 

He  rode  well  enough  as  long  as  his  steed 
travelled  at  a  walk,  but  was  sorely  puzzled 
when  his  speed  was  accelerated,  and  at  his  wit's 
end  when  the  horse  grew  restive  under  the 
tricks  of  the  Indians. 


208  Indian  Mischief. 

They  took  especial  care  to  be  quick  in  their 
movements,  and  to  keep  beyond  the  reach  of 
his  brawny  arm ;  for  there  was  something  in 
the  grim,  worried  features,  and  giant  form  of 
the  veteran,  which  betokened  a  man  not  to  be 
trifled  with. 

At  last  a  little  old  wiry  Indian  determined 
to  come  in  for  his  share  of  the  sport.  He  was 
mounted  upon  a  small  horse,  who  had  no  hair 
on  his  tail,  but  who  at  the  successful  accom 
plishment  of  any  mischievous  feat  wagged  the 
stump  with  keen  satisfaction. 

At  first  the  old  fellow  contented  himself  by 
galloping  around  the  veteran,  so  near  as  almost 
to  touch  him.  The  soldier  took  no  notice  of 
him. 

This  being  borne  with  patience,  the  old  fel 
low  grew  bolder.  In  one  of  his  circuits,  he  ran 
his  steed  against  the  flank  of  the  soldier's 
horse,  nearly  unseating  the  rider,  and  causing 
a  furious  discharge  of  the  heels  of  the  aggrieved 
animal,  and  raising  a  loud  laugh  among  the 
young  Indians. 

The  soldier  recovered  his  seat,  but  lost  his 
temper.  The  younger  Indians  saw  that  there 
was  mischief  in  his  eye,  and  drew  off. 


Indian  Mischief.  209 

The  old  man,  however,  was  too  much  elated 
to  think  of  stopping. 

Fortunately  the  horse  relished  the  pranks 
which  had  been  played  on  him  as  little  as  the 
rider,  and  understood  better  how  to  retaliate ; 
and  as  the  Indian  came  again  at  full  sweep, 
and  the  soldier,  to  avoid  him  pulled  hard  upon 
the  curb  bit,  his  horse  planted  his  forefeet 
into  the  sod,  and  his  heels  were  discharged 
from  behind  as  if  thrown  from  a  catapult. 
They  came  in  contact  with  his  opponent's 
horse,  just  as  he  was  about  to  close  with  him. 
The  nag  was  driven  to  the  distance  of  several 
yards,  and  the  rider  hurled  from  his  back  and 
sent  rolling  in  the  grass. 

Though  the  Indians  had  relished  the  pranks 
played  by  their  comrade,  their  enjoyment  of 
the  retaliation  was  greater ;  and  they  hooted, 
and  jeered  their  companion,  not  so  much  for 
his  breach  of  hospitality  as  for  his  want  of  suc 
cess,  that,  to  get  rid  of  them,  he  whipped  up 
his  little  steed,  and  galloped  off  to  the  village. 
The  soldier,  in  the  meantime,  taking  advantage 
of  the  diversion  in  his  favor,  returned  to  the 
party. 

A  short  time  only  elapsed  before  we  were  at 


2io  Crossing  the  River. 

the  brink  of  the  river.  Here  the  chief  led  the 
way  across  the  fording  place.  The  Indians, 
however,  regardless  of  the  depth  of  the  water, 
plunged  in,  and  in  a  few  moments  its  whole 
surface  was  black  with  them. 

It  was  a  scene  of  great  hubbub  and  confu 
sion. 

Some  were  mounted  upon  powerful  and  sin 
ewy  horses,  which  sped  through  the  water  like 
sea-birds. 

Others  floundered  through  the  channel, 
frightening  the  more  timid  by  their  snorting 
and  splashing.  Some  of  the  Indians  threw 
themselves  from  their  horses  and  stemmed  the 
current,  half  swimming,  and  half  wading  ;  while 
the  relieved  animals,  scattering  in  every  direc 
tion,  made  for  the  nearest  land. 

The  baggage  wagons  toiled  slowly  along  in 
the  rear,  keeping  close  upon  the  trail  of  the 
chief. 

After  some  time  the  whole  party  reached 
the  opposite  shore,  upon  which  stood  the  vil 
lage.  The  bank  was  steep,  and  almost  precip 
itous.  There  was  a  pause  of  some  length,  be 
fore  the  arduous  task  of  dragging  the  heavy 
vehicles  up  the  hill  was  imposed  upon  the 


Crossing  the  River.  211 

jaded  oxen.  At  length,  however,  twelve  of 
them  were  fastened  before  a  single  wagon,  and 
united  their  strength  to  draw  it  up.  The  In 
dians  stood  by,  with  looks  of  wondering  curi 
osity;  but  when  they  saw  the  lash  inflicted, 
and  the  nervous  efforts  of  the  beasts,  they 
shrank  back  with  a  feeling  of  fear  lest  they 
should  turn  upon  their  persecutors. 

Even  the  older  warriors  showed  signs  of 
timidity,  and  the  children  scampered  in  undis 
guised  terror  up  the  steep  pathway.  They 
paused,  however,  upon  the  top  of  the  bluff, 
where  they  deemed  that  they  might  gaze  in 
safety  upon  the  movements  of  their  guests. 

After  a  sound  drubbing,  and  much  swearing 
on  the  part  of  the  drivers,  the  jaded  animals 
dragged  the  wagons  up  the  hill,  and  slowly  pro 
ceeded  through  the  village. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

Indian  Females  and  Feasts. 

MANY  of  the  inhabitants  of  this  town 
had  been  present  at  our  arrival  at 
the  Grand  Pawnee  village,  and  to  them  the 
novelty  of  our  appearance  was  over,  but  to  the 
rest  all  was  new,  and  the  day  of  our  entering 
the  village  was  one  of  jubilee. 

The  tops  of  the  lodges  were  crowded  with 
spectators.  Here  and  there  were  knots  of 
wild-looking  boys,  with  their  bows  and  arrows 
tucked  under  their  arms,  staring  with  open 
mouths  at  the  travelling  lodges,  as  they  termed 
our  heavy  wagons. 

Groups,  too,  of  women — the  married  ones 
with  children,  some  on  their  backs  and  others 
at  their  heels — crowded  around  us.  And 
young  girls  also,  wild  as  deer,  were  gazing  at 
us  with  great  curiosity,  but  maintained  a  timid 
distance. 

Our  Indian  guide  led  us  through  the  town 

212 


Indian  females  and  Feasts.        2 1 3 

to  the  lodge  of  the  chief  Blue  Coat.*  He  had 
nothing  of  the  stern  coldness  of  the  leader  of 
the  Grand  Pawnees.  He  attended  personally 
to  our  comfort,  assisting  even  in  unloading  and 
bringing  in  our  baggage.  When  this  was  fin 
ished,  he  seated  himself  and  opened  a  conver 
sation,  through  the  interpreter. 

There  was  an  intelligence  in  his  remarks  and 
an  ease  in  his  manners  which  made  his  guests 
almost  forget  that  they  were  conversing  with 
a  wild,  untutored  savage. 

It  was  not  long  before  messengers  came  from 
different  lodges  inviting  us  to  feasts,  which  had 
been  prepared  in  honor  of  our  arrival.  We 
had  learned  by  this  time  that  there  was  no 
escape  from  the  invitations  of  an  Indian  host, 
so  we  followed  the  guide,  who  led  us  to  the 
dwelling  of  the  second  chief. 

We  found  him  seated  upon  a  small  leather 
mat. 

He  was  a  fat,  oily  fellow,  with  a  jolly,  good- 

*  The  name  of  Blue  Coat  is  given  to  the  chief  of  the  Re 
publican  Pawnees  on  account  of  his  wearing  a  blue  camblet 
coat.  He  is  proud  of  the  title,  and  prefers  it  to  his  Indian 
name.  He  is  much  more  refined  in  manners  and  ideas  than 
the  rest  of  his  nation,  and  is  considered  by  the  traders  and  his 
own  people  the  very  beau  ideal  of  an  Indian  warrior. 


214         Indian  Females  and  Feasts. 

natured  face.  Still,  its  expression  was  tem 
pered  by  that  gravity  which,  from  long  habit, 
has  become  almost  natural  to  the  race  and 
proverbial  among  the  whites. 

Around  him  were  lounging  about  a  dozen 
Indians. 

Some,  reclining  with  their  backs  against  the 
pillars  supporting  the  roof,  with  their  eyes  half 
closed,  were  smoking  their  stone  pipes.  Some 
were  lying  half  asleep  upon  the  clay  floor,  with 
their  feet  within  a  few  inches  of  the  fire ;  and 
others  were  keeping  up  a  sleepy  song. 

At  a  short  distance  from  the  fire,  half  a  dozen 
squaws  were  pounding  corn  in  large  mortars,* 
and  chattering  vociferously  at  the  same  time. 
In  the  farther  part  of  the  building  about  a 
dozen  naked  children,  with  faces  almost  hid  by 
their  tangled  hair,  were  rolling  and  wrestling 
upon  the  floor,  occasionally  causing  the  lodge 

*  The  mortar  is  in  universal  use  among  the  uncivilized  tribes, 
answering  the  purpose  of  a  mill. 

The  hollow  is  formed  by  kindling  a  fire  upon  the  top  of  a 
block  of  wood,  into  which  it  gradually  sinks  itself,  until  it 
forms  a  sort  of  bowl.  The  cavity  is  then  cleaned  from  the 
coal-black  and  is  fit  for  use. 

These  mortars  are  generally  a  foot  in  diameter  and  about 
eight  inches  deep.  Corn  is  pulverized  in  them  by  using  a  bil 
let  of  wood  as  a  pestle. 


Indian  Females  and  Feasts.        215 

to  echo  to  their  childish  glee.  In  the  back 
ground  we  could  perceive  several  shaggy, 
thievish-looking  wolf-dogs,  skulking  among  the 
hides  and  bundles  in  search  of  food,  and  glid 
ing  about  with  the  air  of  dogs  who  knew  that 
they  had  no  business  there. 

Upon  our  entering,  the  lounging  Indians  rose 
from  the  floor,  the  smokers  woke  from  their 
reveries,  and  the  dogs  slunk  out  of  sight. 

The  women  and  children,  however,  went  on 
as  before  ;  the  former  pounding  and  chattering, 
and  the  latter  frolicking  on  the  floor.  When 
we  were  seated,  a  bowl  of  buffalo  flesh  was 
placed  before  us,  and  signs  made  for  us  to  fall 
to.  The  chief  himself  acted  as  master  of  cere 
monies.  He  thrust  his  hands  into  the  bowl 
and  turned  over  and  over  the  heap  of  smoking 
meat,  selecting  the  best  morsels  and  welcoming 
us  with  warm  expressions  of  friendship.  Sev 
eral  times,  annoyed  by  the  noise  and  clamor  of 
his  wives,  he  turned  around  and  let  out  a  volley 
of  angry  words,  which,  however,  they  treated 
with  no  attention. 

Before  we  had  finished  our  meal  half  a  dozen 
messengers  arrived,  each  waiting  for  us  to  fol 
low  them  to  the  lodges  of  other  chiefs.  It  is 


2 1 6         Indian  Females  and  Feasts. 

usual  for  the  guest,  when  he  is  unable  to  eat 
all  the  food  placed  before  him,  to  send  what  is 
left  to  his  own  quarters.  The  duty  of  carrying 
it  is  generally  entrusted  to  one  of  the  junior 
members  of  the  family,  who,  when  departing 
upon  his  errand,  receives  a  particular  caution 
from  the  squaws  to  be  careful  to  bring  back 
the  bowl. 

It  was  near  sunset  when  we  finished  our 
visits. 

We  had  gone  from  lodge  to  lodge,  followed 
by  our  usual  retinue  of  men  women,  and  chil 
dren,  until  we  had  visited  nearly  half  the  lodges 
in  the  village. 

Our  receptions  were  different  according  to 
the  dispositions  of  our  hosts.  Some  were  grave 
and  sedate  in  their  demeanor,  and  others  as 
sociable  and  even  lively  as  the  whites. 

We  had  been  invited  to  some  of  the  lodges 
against  the  wishes  of  the  squaws,  who  did  not 
like  the  trouble  of  entertaining  us  ;  and  as  we 
could  not  understand  their  language,  they  had 
no  hesitation  in  speaking  their  minds  freely  to 
their  husbands. 

The  half-breed  interpreter,  in  the  conscien 
tious  discharge  of  his  duty,  with  iron  gravity, 


Indian  Females  and  Feasts.        2 1 7 

translated  the  whole  to  us,  without  abating  an 
epithet,  or  softening  a  single  peppery  expres 
sion. 

When  we  came  out,  we  found  a  small  crowd 
collected,  which  drew  back  as  we  appeared ; 
there  was  nothing  troublesome  in  their  mode 
of  gratifying  their  curiosity. 

The  children  followed  at  a  distance,  The 
older  Indians  would  learn  the  route  which  we 
must  take,  and  hurrying  on,  would  seat  them 
selves  where  the  party  must  pass  them  ;  but 
there  was  none  of  the  prying,  meddling  spirit 
which  is  shown  among  the  whites. 

We  had  scarcely  reached  the  lodge  of  the 
chief,  and  were  congratulating  ourselves  that 
the  eating  part  of  the  business  was  terminated, 
when  a  boy  came  to  the  place  where  the  inter 
preter  was  sitting. 

We  suspected  that  another  feast  was  on  foot, 
and  were  making  for  the  door,  when  we  were 
arrested  by  the  interpreter,  who  was  too  much 
of  an  Indian  not  to  relish  these  eating  parties. 
He  said  that  three  of  us  had  been  invited  to 
the  lodge  of  one  of  the  older  warriors,  who  had 
prepared  a  great  delicacy  for  us.  Although 
little  inclined  to  attempt  any  thing  more  in  the 


2 1 8         Indian  Females  and  Feasts. 

way  of  eating,  we  had  to  accompany  him,  won 
dering  what  new  article  of  food  could  be  raked 
up  in  the  village,  where  every  soul  seemed  to 
live  on  buffalo  flesh  and  corn. 

When  we  reached  the  place  of  invitation, 
we  found  the  interior  of  the  lodge  lighted  by 
a  bright  fire.  In  front  of  it  was  seated  the 
Indian  who  had  invited  us.  He  was  an  old 
man  with  a  bottle  nose  and  a  ponderous  cor 
poration  ;  and  when  seated  behind  it  with  his 
feet  doubled  under  him  after  the  Turkish 
fashion,  he  looked  like  a  large  sphere. 

Upon  our  entrance,  after  sundry  puffs  and 
heaves,  he  rose  up  and  welcomed  us,  pointing 
out  seats  upon  several  mats  which  had  been 
placed  for  us.  He  then  told  his  squaw,  whose 
leanness  was  in  proportion  to  his  rotundity,  to 
place  the  viands  before  us.  We  watched  her 
narrowly  as  she  moved  to  a  large  kettle  over 
the  fire.  There  was  something  in  it  of  a 
reddish-yellow  color.  What  could  it  be  ?  We 
had  never  met  with  any  thing  of  that  descrip 
tion  before.  The  squaw  seized  a  sharp-pointed 
stick,  and  commenced  spearing  into  the  pot,  and 
repeatedly  missed  her  aim,  but  at  length  struck 
the  object  of  her  search,  and  drew  out,  impaled 


Indian  Females  and  Feasts.        2 1 9 

upon  the  point  of  her  stick,  a  large  boiled 
pumpkin.  This  she  immediately  commenced 
dividing  in  strips. 

While  the  ceremony  of  spearing  was  going 
on,  we  watched  with  some  curiosity  to  see  what 
all  this  trouble  was  to  produce  ;  but  when  the 
pumpkin  made  its  appearance,  the  expression 
of  countenances  was  ruefully  changed.  I 
looked  at  my  companions.  Their  eyes  were 
fixed  with  silent  agony  upon  the  preparing 
feast.  There  was  no  retreat ;  it  must  be  eaten  ; 
and  we  were  doomed  to  do  it.  I  had  hoped 
to  derive  a  little  comfort  from  them.  I  had 
hoped,  too,  that  they  might  relish  a  sodden 
and  water-soaked  pumpkin ;  and  that  under 
cover  of  their  appetites,  I  might  escape  unob 
served.  The  expression,  however,  of  their 
faces  forbade  the  hope,  and  I  determined  to 
perform  my  share  of  the  mastication  in  a  man 
ner  creditable  to  a  civilized  man. 

We  fell  to  desperately,  therefore,  under  the 
vigilant  eye  of  our  fat  host,  who  continually 
plied  us  with  fresh  pieces,  according  to  the 
laws  of  Indian  hospitality,  and  to  refuse  which 
would  be  regarded  as  a  slight.  How  we  man 
aged  to  get  through  that  feast  I  can  hardly 


220        Indian  Females  and  Feasts. 

say  ;  it  was  one  of  the  severest  trials  of  the 
whole  of  our  campaign  ;  yet  we  did  get  through 
with  it,  and  emerged  from  the  lodge  with 
safety. 

When  we  returned  to  our  lodge  we  found  it 
crowded.  Groups  were  squatting  in  every  di 
rection,  wrapped  in  their  robes,  carrying  on  an 
earnest  talk.  But  upon  our  return  the  con 
versation  gradually  flagged,  and  their  sole  oc 
cupation  was  to  sit,  with  their  eyes  fixed  upon 
us,  as  we  were  collected  round  the  fire. 


CHAPTER   XXIX. 

The  Doctor  s  Adventure — Indian  Dirge. 

UPON  our  return  to  the  chiefs  lodge,  we 
found  that  one  of  the  party,  Dr.  M , 

was  away. 

There  were  many  conjectures  as  to  his  ab 
sence,  but  after  a  while  he  made  his  appear 
ance,  considerably  out  of  breath,  and  related 
to  us  an  adventure  which  he  had  just  met  with. 

After  we  had  left  our  lodge,  as  he  had  noth 
ing  in  particular  to  do,  he  set  out  upon  a  voy 
age  of  discovery.  He  had  not  gone  far  before 
his  attention  was  attracted  by  a  low  chanting 
song,  proceeding  from  a  lodge  which  stood  a 
little  apart  from  the  others. 

So  he  walked  to  it,  and  without  hesitation 
entered  the  low,  funnel-shaped  mouth,  and 
peeped  over  the  bear-skin  which  hung  before 
the  inner  entrance. 

A  fire  was  burning  in  the  centre  of  the  lodge. 
Over  it  hung  a  kettle,  the  contents  of  which 

221 


222  The  Doctor's  Adventure. 

was  stirred  by  an  old  Indian,  dressed  in  a  buf 
falo  robe  whitened  with  chalk  and  ornamented 
with  hieroglyphic  symbols.  As  he  stirred  he 
hummed  a  low  chant,  occasionally  raising  his 
voice  to  a  yell,  and  then  sinking  it  to  a  low 
murmur.  The  Doctor  remarked  that  this  In 
dian,  as  to  appearance,  was  not  an  Apollo. 

At  a  few  steps  from  the  fire  two  persons 
were  lying,  covered  by  a  buffalo  robe,  and, 
leaning  over  them,  stood  another  Indian, 
dressed  like  the  first.  He,  too,  was  humming 
a  low  song,  and  dancing  to  a  slow  measure 
round  the  persons  under  the  robe. 

The  Doctor  suspected  that  those  under  the 
skin  were  patients,  and  the  others  Medicine 
men,*  performing  some  of  the  cures  which 
give  them  a  reputation  for  superior  sanctity 
among  the  Indians,  who  believe  them  to  hold 

*  Every  tribe  of  Indians  has  its  Medicine-men. 

They  are  a  kind  of  priest  or  prophet.  Their  influence, 
however,  is  very  variable,  and  depends  upon  the  popularity 
which  they  may  have  acquired  with  the  nation.  As  long  as 
they  confine  their  prophecies  to  events  which  will  be  agreeable, 
they  are  regarded  with  high  veneration  ;  but  as  soon  as  they 
commence  predictions  of  evil,  or  to  reveal  unpalatable  truths, 
their  influence  wanes,  and  their  predictions  are  scorned. 

They  are  also  skilled  in  the  virtues  of  herbs,  and  act  as 
physicians.  From  this  they  have  derived  the  name  of  Medi 
cine-man. 


The  Doctor's  Adventure.  223 

communion  with  the  Great  Spirit.  Their  abil 
ity  to  perform  these  cures  arises  from  their 
knowledge  of  the  medicinal  virtues  of  different 
herbs.  By  jumbling  with  their  healing  art  a 
species  of  mystic  mummery,  and  by  pretending 
to  hold  a  direct  intercourse  with  the  Deity,  the 
cure  of  their  patients  is  attributed  more  to  di 
vine  agency  than  to  any  virtue  of  the  medicines 
administered. 

After  humming  round  them,  the  Medicine 
man  raised  the  edge  of  the  robe,  exposing  the 
naked  head  and  shoulders  of  two  squaws.  The 
Indian  at  the  fire  then  reached  to  the  other  a 
large  dipper,  filled  from  the  contents  of  the 
kettle.  This  was  greedily  swallowed  by  the 
squaws.  The  robe  was  again  thrown  over  them, 
and  again  the  Medicine-man  commenced  his 
hum  and  dance. 

Now  the  Doctor  saw  every  thing  that  was 
going  on  inside  of  the  lodge  as  distinctly  as  if 
he  had  been  there,  but  he  resolved  to  see  more. 

For  a  moment  he  paused  to  reflect  whether 
it  would  be  prudent  to  intrude  upon  these 
mystic  ceremonies,  but  prudence  was  a  quality 
with  which  he  was  not  much  troubled ;  so 
without  hesitation  he  kicked  up  the  bear-skin, 


224  The  Doctor's  Adventure. 

and  stepped  into  the  lodge  in  front  of  the  two 
priests. 

For  a  moment  they  gazed  at  him  as  if  they 
doubted  their  senses.  Their  eyes  flashed  fire, 
and  raising  their  voices,  they  made  the  lodge 
ring  with  their  yells.  At  this  sound  the  old 
women  peeped  from  under  the  robes,  and  see 
ing  a  white  man,  added  their  voices  to  the 
chorus. 

Not  at  all  discomfited,  the  Doctor  attempted 
to  approach  the  fire,  but  the  Indians  warned 
him  back,  ordering  him  with  menacing  gestures 
to  leave  the  lodge. 

These  he  pretended  to  misunderstand,  at  the 
same  time  attempting  to  enter  into  a  parley 
with  them,  in  order  to  gain  as  much  time  as  pos 
sible  for  observation.  He  endeavored  to  ex 
plain  to  them  that  he  too  was  a  Medicine-man, 
and  wished  to  be  acquainted  with  their  secrets, 
and  that  in  return  he  would  communicate  his. 
But  it  was  useless ;  either  they  did  not  under 
stand,  or  did  not  value  his  information,  for 
they  placed  themselves  in  front  of  him  and 
persisted  in  ordering  him  to  quit  the  lodge. 

The  Doctor  pretended  not  to  understand 
them,  and  having  determined,  at  all  events,  to 


The  Doctor's  Adventure.  225 

obtain  a  look  into  the  kettle,  pushed  past  them 
and  made  for  the  fire. 

There  was  now  something  of  menace  in 
their  faces;  and  one  of  them,  rushing  to  the 
side  of  the  lodge,  seized  a  large  club.  The 
Doctor,  who  was  not  prepared  to  meet  an  argu 
ment  of  that  description,  withdrew  rapildy  and 
did  not  stop  until  he  arrived,  disappointed  and 
much  out  of  wind,  at  the  chief's  lodge,  where  he 
narrated  his  adventure. 

After  this  I  strolled  out  with  one  of  my  com 
panions.  It  was  so  late  that  there  were  few 
Indians  to  be  seen.  Occasionally  we  heard  the 
howl  of  a  wolf,  and  now  and  then  an  owl  would 
raise  his  voice  amid  the  fringe  of  trees  which 
drooped  over  the  river,  and  send  forth  a  long, 
quavering  whoop. 

We  strolled  along  the  shore  for  half  a  mile, 
glad  to  be  set  free  from  the  well-meant  though 
tedious  attentions  of  our  hosts.  At  length  we 
were  preparing  to  retrace  our  steps,  when  our 
attention  was  attracted  by  a  low,  mournful  cry 
proceeding  from  the  burial-ground  of  the  vil 
lage,  which  was  near  by.  We  approached 
quietly.  Upon  one  of  the  graves  was  lying  an 
Indian  girl.  Her  buffalo  robe  had  escaped 


226  Indian  Dirge. 

from  her  shoulders,  and  her  long,  dishevelled 
black  hair  was  mingled  with  the  grass.  Her 
bosom  was  resting  upon  the  sod,  her  arms  ex 
tended,  as  if  embracing  the  form  which  was 
mouldering  beneath. 

Believing  that  she  was  singing  a  dirge  over 
the  grave  of  a  friend,  we  listened  attentively  to 
her  song.  At  times  it  would  rise  in  the  air 
with  mournful  tenderness.  At  other  times  the 
tone  would  seem  to  treat  of  battle,  and  then 
her  song  would  burst  from  her  with  the  start 
ling  energy  of  one  in  the  midst  of  the  scene 
itself.  At  such  times  her  whole  frame  seemed 
swelling  with  the  inspiration  of  her  theme  ;  but 
in  the  very  midst  of  this  exultation  the  chord 
of  some  mournful  recollection  would  be  touch 
ed,  and  the  song  would  sink  from  its  ardent  tone 
to  a  note  of  woe,  so  despairing  that  it  seemed 
to  well  out  from  a  broken  heart. 

After  a  short  time  she  rose  from  the  ground, 
and  wrapping  her  robe  about  her,  returned 
slowly  to  the  village. 

We  were  so  much  interested  in  her,  that 
we  had  accurately  noted  her  appearance  and 
whither  she  went ;  and  now  hurried  towards 
our  lodge,  with  the  intention  of  rinding  out  her 


Indian  Dirge.  227 

history  from  our  interpreter, — a  matter  of  no 
great  dfficulty,  as  the  history  of  every  indi 
vidual  of  the  village  is  known  to  all. 

We  found  the  half-breed  interpreter  sitting 
in  front  of  the  fire,  wrapped  in  his  blanket- 
coat  with  his  elbow  resting  upon  his  knee,  and 
his  hand  supporting  his  chin.  There  was  an 
air  of  iron  gravity  and  even  sternness  in  his 
deep-marked  features,  that  denoted  a  man  not 
prone  to  yield  to  womanish  emotion. 

We  went  up  to  him,  and  one  of  us  inquired 
in  French  (for  he  spoke  no  English)  the  his 
tory  of  the  girl — at  the  same  time  narrating 
the  scene  in  the  prairie. 

If  it  had  been  in  the  nature  of  his  face  to 
wear  a  more  scornful  expression  than  it  usually 
did,  the  smile  of  contempt  which  passed  over 
his  weather-beaten  features,  as  we  related  our 
story,  would  have  added  to  it.  For  a  moment 
he  seemed  surprised,  then  added  that  she  was 
a  squaw  who  lived  in  the  adjoining  lodge,  and 
that  but  a  short  time  before,  he  had  heard  her 
say  to  her  mother,  that  as  she  had  nothing  else 
to  do,  she  believed  she  would  go  and  take  a 
bawl  over  her  dead  brother's  grave. 

He  had  been  killed  five  years  before. 


228  Indian  Dirge. 

There  was  an  expression  of  keen  enjoyment 
in  the  eye  of  the  half-breed,  as  he  watched  the 
disappointed  expression  of  our  faces. 

A  grim  smile  played  over  his  reddish-brown 
face,  and  I  believe  that  if  he  had  ever  been 
guilty  of  such  an  action,  he  would  have  in 
dulged  in  a  loud  explosion  of  merriment. 

Just  then  Jones  announced  that  supper  was 
ready.  Discarding  both  the  girl  and  her  griefs 
from  our  minds,  we  seated  ourselves  upon  the 
floor,  preparatory  to  commencing  the  task  of 
masticating  a  supper  of  dried  buffalo's  flesh 
which  had  been  boiled  for  only  two  hours. 

When  we  had  finished,  it  was  late  in  the 
evening ;  the  Indians,  wrapping  their  robes 
around  them,  had  stretched  themselves  on  the 
floor  and  were  sound  asleep. 

The  servants  now  busied  themselves  in 
spreading  out  our  bear-skins,  and  we  soon  fol 
lowed  the  example  of  the  Indians. 

About  midnight  I  awoke  ;  it  was  intensely 
cold  ;  so  I  rose  up  and  picked  my  way  over  the 
sleepers  to  the  fire.  An  old  Indian  was  sitting 
there  ;  his  hair  was  white,  and  hung  down  upon 
his  shoulders,  and  his  face  and  breast  were 
marked  with  scars. 


Old  Indian.  229 

His  robe  had  fallen,  leaving  bare  the  wreck 
of  what  must  once  have  been  a  powerful  frame. 
His  cheek  was  resting  in  the  palm  of  his  hand  ; 
his  eyes  were  intently  fixed  upon  the  brands, 
which  flickered  up  in  a  broken  blaze.  In  his 
right  hand  he  held  a  small  piece  of  wood,  with 
which  he  raked  together  the  coals,  apparently 
unconscious  of  what  he  was  doing.  In  front  of 
him  lay  a  tomahawk,  and  across  it  his  otter- 
skin  pouch  and  stone  pipe,  the  symbols  of  war 
and  peace  together,  in  a  manner  which  seemed 
to  denote  that  with  their  owner  the  day  of 
strife  was  past. 

Upon  my  approach  he  raised  his  head  and 
reached  out  his  hand,  while  a  friendly  smile 
played  over  his  face.  Then  pointing  to  his 
scars,  he  endeavored  by  signs  to  give  me  an 
account  of  the  different  fights,  in  which  these 
had  been  received.  Each  scar  had  a  tale  of  its 
own. 

After  telling  his  story  he  lighted  his  pipe, 
and  drawing  a  few  puffs  he  passed  it  to  me 
with  the  usual  word  of  politeness,  (Loovah).* 

*  This  is  a  word  more  frequently  used  than  any  other  in  the 
language.  As  far  as  I  was  able  to  learn,  it  had  no  particular 
meaning,  but  was  the  usual  expression  of  courtesy  and  kind 
ness  when  the  Indians  addressed  each  other. 


230  Old  Indian. 

I  puffed  for  a  few  moments,  and  returned  it  to 
him  ;  he  then  inhaled  a  few  draughts  of  the 
smoke,  and  again  reached  it  to  me  ;  and  I,  after 
again  smoking,  reached  it  to  him.  This  opera 
tion  of  smoking  and  passing  it  to  each  other, 
continued  until  the  pipe  was  empty;  then 
knocking  the  ashes  from  its  bowl,  he  rose,  took 
up  his  pouch  and  tomahawk,  drew  his  buffalo 
robe  over  his  head,  and  left  the  lodge. 

Upon  being  deserted  by  my  companion,  I 
looked  around  upon  the  muffled  forms  thickly 
strewed  upon  the  floor,  with  that  strange  feel 
ing  which  is  experienced  by  a  person,  the  only 
being  awake  among  a  hundred  sleeping  forms, 
and  which  is  peculiarly  strong  in  a  place  where 
every  individual  is  a  stranger.  The  lodge  was 
about  sixty  feet  in  diameter,  and  seen  by  the 
flickering,  uncertain  light  of  the  fire,  it  had  a 
wild  appearance.  The  stern  countenances  of 
the  sleeping  warriors  reminded  me  of  the 
Eastern  tale,  in  which  a  whole  city  of  living 
beings  were  converted  into  statues.  Their 
sleep  was  death-like — it  seemed  dreamless. 

But  although  the  Indians  slept,  the  dogs 
were  wide-awake  and  on  the  prowl.  They 
knew  that  their  hour  of  business  had  come, 


Indian  Dogs.  231 

and  with  every  leaping  blaze  of  the  embers  I 
could  see  them,  scattered  through  the  lodge, 
on  the  forage, — all  in  motion,  yet  not  a 
a  sound  was  to  be  heard.  They  wound  their 
way  among  the  sleepers  with  the  cautious 
step  of  practised  burglars.  Occasionally  they 
cast  a  doubting  look  at  me.  However,  they 
came  to  the  conclusion  that  I  was  a  stranger, 
and,  from  my  short  stay,  not  aware  of  their 
character. 

While  I  was  watching  them  I  was  startled 
by  a  loud  whine,  which  seemed  to  proceed 
from  the  roof  of  the  lodge. 

At  this  sound  there  was  a  general  scamper  of 
dogs  to  the  entrance,  for  they  were  certain 
that  the  cry  would  awaken  the  savages,  and 
that  their  only  safety  was  in  flight.  I  turned 
to  ascertain  the  cause  of  the  noise.  At  the 
top  of  the  lodge,  and  about  ten  feet  from 
the  ground,  was  a  dog  suspended  by  his 
teeth  to  a  flitch  of  bacon,  which  had  been 
hung  up  to  the  rafters  to  keep  it  out  of  reach. 

The  animal  had  espied  this,  and,  mounting 
upon  a  pile  formed  by  our  baggage,  and  spring 
ing  at  it,  had  contrived  to  fasten  his  teeth  in  it ; 
but  in  doing  so  had  lost  his  footing  and  hung 


232  Indian  Dirge. 

suspended  by  his  jaws  about  ten  feet  from  the 
floor.  He  dared  not  let  loose  his  hold,  and  he 
was  equally  certain  that  he  could  not  maintain 
it.  In  this  predicament  he  uttered  a  low, 
plaintive  whine.  Scarcely  had  the  sound  es 
caped  him,  before  missiles  of  all  sorts  were 
battering  his  ribs,  and  clamorous  voices  were 
raised  in  hue  and  cry  against  him.  With  a 
loud  yell,  relaxing  his  jaws,  he  landed  upon 
an  old  Indian,  who  had  been  sleeping  beneath 
him,  and  scampered  from  the  building,  assisted 
by  the  kicks  of  such  as  were  awake  and  in 
reach  of  him. 


CHAPTER  XXX. 

Leaving  Republican  Village — Prairie  between 
that  and  Tappage  Village — Reception  by  Tap- 
pages  —  Departure  —  White  Cranes  —  Black 
Chief  of  the  Loups — Reception — Chief's 
Lodge — Soldier  Chief's  Feast. 

THE  next  morning  we  set  out  for  the  vil 
lage  of  the  Tappage  Pawnees,  situated 
upon  the  Loup  fork  of  the  Platte,  about  eleven 
miles  farther  up  the  river.  As  we  left  the 
town,  the  usual  crowd  of  men,  women,  and 
children  followed.  The  chief,  also,  escorted 
us  out,  and  after  accompanying  us  about  a 
mile,  returned  to  his  village,  followed  by  some 
of  his  warriors.  Others  travelled  with  us,  for 
the  purpose  of  witnessing  our  reception  at 
their  rival  village. 

The    prairie   was    beginning   to    show    the 

effects  of  frost,  and  the  grass  wore  a  withered 

look.     The  sun   shone  red  and  lurid  through 

the  hazy  atmosphere,  denoting  what  at  this 

233 


234  Chief  of  the  Loups. 

season  of  the  year  is  called  Indian  summer. 
Not  a  breeze  rustled  the  grass,  or  rippled  the 
swift,  glassy  waters  of  the  Platte.  Every  thing 
was  quiet,  except  the  loud  voice  of  the  team 
ster  expostulating  with  the  oxen,  or  an  occa 
sional  crack  from  the  whip  of  Joseph  as  he 
urged  forward  his  mules. 

Now  and  then  we  came  upon  the  horses  be 
longing  to  the  Republican  village.  They  were 
roving  along  the  banks  of  the  Platte,  prancing 
and  capering  as  wildly  as  if  still  free  upon  their 
own  prairies. 

Upon  our  approach,  they  raised  their  heads 
and  gazed  fearlessly  upon  us.  Two  or  three 
of  the  largest  left  the  drove  and  slowly 
advanced  towards  us,  and  then,  with  a  loud 
snort,  flinging  up  their  heels  dashed  back,  and 
the  whole  drove  sped  off  at  a  gallop. 

While  we  were  yet  several  miles  from  the 
village,  we  observed  mounted  Indians  driving 
in  horses,  to  be  used  in  the  ceremony  of  our 
reception. 

The  town  of  the  Tappage  Pawnees  is  situ 
ated  upon  a  broad  plain  overlooking  the 
Platte.  It  is  the  smallest  of  all  the  Pawnee 
villages,  and  contains  about  one  thousand 


Chief  of  the  Loups.  235 

inhabitants.  The  most  of  the  men  were  now 
out  upon  the  prairie,  mounted  and  waiting 
for  the  signal  to  come  forward  to  meet  us. 

When  we  had  approached  sufficiently  near,  it 
was  given.  Once  more  we  beheld  them  com 
ing  surge-like  upon  us,  and  changing  their 
course  before  they  reached  us.  The  wild 
neighing  of  the  horses  was  mingled  with  the 
trampling  of  their  hoofs,  with  the  yells  and 
whoops  of  the  Indians,  and  the  clashing  of 
bows  and  tomahawks. 

When  this  was  concluded,  the  usual  cere 
mony  of  presenting  horses  was  performed. 
Half  an  hour  brought  us  to  the  town,  where, 
as  usual,  we  found  every  one  on  the  look-out 
for  our  coming,  and  every  preparation  made  to 
receive  us  in  a  manner  worthy  of  the  tribe. 
There  is  a  sameness  in  Indian  customs  and 
habits  which  renders  description  tedious. 

Suffice  it  to  say,  that  we  were  received  by 
the  chief  and  his  people  with  all  the  kindness 
and  hospitality  which  their  means  afforded. 

The  next  morning  we  left  the  village  for 
the  town  of  the  Pawnee  Loups,  which  is  five 
miles  farther  up  the  river.  This  is  the  wildest 
of  all  the  Pawnee  tribes. 


236  Chief  of  the  Loups. 

We  rode  in  a  long  line  across  the  low, 
irregular  prairie.  The  Otoe  Indians  straggled 
along  the  bank  of  the  river.  Those  of  the 
soldiers  who  were  not  engaged  with  the  teams 
reconnoitred  the  pools  of  water,  in  hopes  of 
shooting  ducks. 

Here  and  there  we  observed  a  broken  patch 
of  corn  at  the  bottom  of  a  ravine.  Occasion 
ally  we  passed  a  clump  of  dwarf  trees,  grouped 
together  over  a  spring  or  run  of  water.  Other 
wise  the  prairie  was  bare  of  forest,  and  covered 
only  with  long  withered  grass. 

While  on  our  journey  several  Otoes  hurried 
up,  to  tell  us  that  about  a  dozen  white  cranes 
were  standing  upon  a  sandbar  in  the  Platte. 
This  incident,  trivial  as  it  may  seem,  created 
quite  an  excitement  among  the  party.  Half  a 
dozen  loaded  rifles  were  handed  from  the 
wagons,  and  as  many  hunters  started  off,  fol 
lowed  by  a  troop  of  Indians,  with  their  bows 
and  arrows  ready  in  case  the  fire-arms  of  the 
whites  should  fail.  But  all  this  preparation 
was  useless,  for  when  the  hunters  were  within 
about  three  hundred  yards  of  the  river,  one  of 
the  birds,  that  was  standing  with  its  head 
closely  snugged  up  against  its  breast,  and 


Chief  of  the  Loups.  237 

gazing  in  moralizing  mood  upon  the  swift 
water,  suddenly  shot  out  a  neck  three  feet 
long,  and  turned  a  quick  and  steady  eye  upon 
the  approaching  hunters. 

He  gazed  a  moment,  then  taking  a  step,  and 
slowly  raising  his  wings  until  their  tips  nearly 
met  over  his  back,  rose  from  the  earth,  as  if 
by  mere  volition,  uttering  a  shrill  cry  which 
brought  his  startled  comrades  after  him.  As 
they  rose  a  shower  of  bullets  whistled  after 
them  without  disturbing  their  flight.  Slowly 
they  mounted  in  the  air,  floating  like  snow- 
flakes  over  the  river.  For  a  few  moments 
they  lingered  over  its  shining  bosom,  as  if  loth 
to  leave  their  resting-place  ;  but  after  wheeling 
in  several  widely  extended  circles,  they  soared 
to  an  immense  height,  and  taking  a  steady 
course  to  the  eastward  were  lost  to  sight. 

It  was  not  long  before  we  reached  a  bluff, 
from  which  we  descried  the  village  of  the  Paw 
nee  Loups,  but  saw  no  signs  of  preparation 
to  receive  us.  A  single  Indian  came  gallop 
ing  at  full  speed  towards  us.  His  horse  was 
of  a  dark  cream  color,  fierce  and  powerful. 
To  his  bit  was  attached  a  scalp,  made  of  the 
whole  upper  part  of  a  human  head,  the  hair 


238  Chief  of  the  Loups. 

of  which  nearly  reached  the  ground.  The 
horseman  proved  to  be  the  Black  Chief  of  the 
Loups.* 

When  within  a  few  yards  of  us  he  sprang 
from  his  horse,  and  gave  the  bridle  to  one  of 
our  soldiers  to  hold. 

He  was  far  more  swarthy  than  any  Indian 
we  had  ever  seen.  He  was  perfectly  naked, 
with  the  exception  of  a  pair  of  leggins  of 
dressed  buffalo  hide,  worn  apparently  for  the 
sake  of  displaying  a  profusion  of  scalp-locks, 
with  which  they  were  heavily  fringed.  He 
was  not  large,  and  his  whole  figure,  for  fine 
proportion  and  strength,  might  have  served  a 
sculptor,  but  his  scowling  face  marred  the 
beauty  of  his  person.  We  were  told  that  he 
was  true  to  his  word,  faithful  to  his  friends, 
but  cruel  and  bitter  in  war. 

He  advanced  and  shook  hands  with  us,  then 
turning  round,  awaited  the  coming  of  his  war 
riors,  who  had  now  assembled  in  the  prairie. 

Minute  after  minute  passed,  but  still  there 
were  no  signs  of  their  approach.  The  Black 
Chief  then  called  one  of  the  Pawnees  who  had 

*  The  complexion  of  this  chief  was  unusually  dark — hence 
his  name. 


Chief  of  the  Loups.  239 

accompanied  us  from  the  last  village,  and  sent 
him  forward  with  instructions  to  his  men. 

The  Indian  started  on  his  errand,  but  before 
he  had  gone  more  than  one  quarter  of  the  dis 
tance,  a  loud  yell  burst  from  the  assembled 
troop,  and  they  bore  down  upon  us.  At  the 
cry  of  the  Pawnee  Loups,  the  chief  sent  up  a 
long,  shrill  whoop  in  answer ;  then  mounted 
his  horse  and  watched  their  movements.  They 
had  approached  within  a  hundred  yards  of 
the  party,  when  he  again  gave  a  loud  whoop, 
and  waving  his  arms,  his  men  separated  and 
rushed  to  right  and  left  around  us. 

But  few  horses  were  presented  by  this  vil 
lage,  as  a  party  of  Sioux  Indians  had  stolen 
down  upon  them  but  a  few  weeks  before,  and 
had  driven  off  nearly  one  third  of  the  horses 
belonging  to  the  town. 

The  chief  gave  as  an  excuse,  that  he  had 
gambled  away  nearly  all  that  he  possessed.* 

*  One  of  the  principal  games  of  the  Pawnees,  and  the  one 
on  which  the  most  gambling  is  carried  on,  is  played  by  means 
of  a  small  ring  and  a  long  javelin.  This  ring  is  about  four 
inches  in  diameter ;  and  the  object  of  the  player  is  to  hurl 
this  javelin  through  the  ring,  while  it  is  sent  rolling  over  the 
ground,  with  great  speed,  by  one  of  his  companions  in  the 
game.  The  javelin  is  filled  with  barbs  nearly  the  whole 
length,  so  that  when  it  has  once  passed  partly  through  the 


240  Chief  of  the  Loups. 

We  afterwards  learned  that  the  horse  which 
bore  him  was  the  only  one  left  of  a  large  num 
ber  which  he  had  owned  but  a  short  time  be 
fore. 

Upon  reaching  the  village  we  found,  as 
usual,  crowds  of  women  and  children  anxious 
to  see  us,  though  they  did  not  press  round  us 
as  in  the  other  villages. 

This  was  owing  to  the  presence  of  the  chief, 
who  had  ordered  the  gazers  to  keep  at  a  dis 
tance.  A  crowd  had  assembled,  too,  around 
the  entrance  of  his  lodge ;  but  upon  our  ap 
proach  they  drew  back  and  left  the  passage  to 
it  open.  Inside  of  it  we  found  a  few  of  the 
principal  warriors,  who  alone  had  been  ad 
mitted. 

There  was  a  feast,  as  usual,  but  we  ate  little, 
as  we  knew  what  was  to  follow.  Scarcely  had 
we  finished  before  a  little  urchin  was  in  at 
tendance  to  conduct  us  to  the  lodge  of  the 
Soldier  Chief,  the  second  brave  in  the  vil 
lage. 

ring,  it  cannot  slide  back.  This  is  done  to  ascertain  how  far 
it  went  before  it  struck  the  edge  of  the  ring,  and  the  farther 
the  cast,  the  more  it  counts  in  favor  of  the  one  who  hurled  it. 
It  is  practised  by  the  children,  young  men,  and  chiefs.  The 
first  gamble  for  single  arrows  ;  the  second,  for  a  bow  and 
quiver  ;  and  the  last,  for  horses. 


Chief  of  the  Loups.  241 

We  found  him  seated  at  his  fire,  awaiting 
our  arrival.  As  we  entered  he  rose  and  pre 
sented  to  Mr.  E a  large  buffalo  robe,  upon 

which  was  painted  a  hieroglyphic  account  of 
his  warlike  deeds. 

After  this  he  seated  himself  and  described 
the  different  fights  and  the  meaning  of  the 
various  symbols  on  it. 

He  was  a  tall,  thin  man,  with  a  sharp  face 
and  deep-sunk  eyes,  which  glittered  in  their 
sockets  like  black  beads.  There  was  no  spare 
flesh  about  his  frame,  but  all  was  brawn  and 
sinew.  He  seemed  formed  for  the  endurance 
of  great  and  continued  toil,  and  his  hardened 
face  showed  that  he  had  weathered  exposures 
of  all  descriptions. 

He  apologized  to  the  Commissioner  for  not 
having  come  with  the  rest  of  the  tribe  to  wel 
come  him,  giving  as  an  excuse,  that  he  was  at 
bitter  enmity  with  the  chief,  and  refused  on  all 
occasions  to  act  in  concert  with  him. 

A  large  bowl  of  boiled  corn  was  then  placed 
before  us,  and  each  was  furnished  by  the  Sol 
dier's  wife  with  a  dipper  of  buffalo  horn.  Hav 
ing  partaken  of  the  mess  as  sparingly  as  the 
laws  of  Indian  politeness  would  permit,  we  took 
our  leave. 


242  Chief  of  the  Loups. 

After  we  had  left  the  lodge,  the  Indian 
Agent  who  accompanied  us  related  the  follow 
ing  account  of  a  murder  which  had  occurred 
but  a  few  months  before  and  which  was  the 
origin  of  the  bitter  feud  between  the  Soldier 
and  the  Black  Chief. 

During  the  month  of  May  previous,  business 
had  called  Major  Dougherty  to  the  Otoe 
Agency  on  the  Missouri.  And  while  he  was 
there,  a  messenger  made  his  appearance.  He 
had  been  sent  by  a  half-breed  from  the  Pawnee 
village,  with  intelligence  that  the  Loups  had 
taken  a  Cheyenne  woman  prisoner  and  intended 
to  burn  her  at  the  stake.* 

The  Agent  determined,  if  possible,  to  save 
her,  and  having  made  a  few  hurried  prepara 
tions,  set  off  with  five  companions.  A  journey 
of  three  days  brought  them  to  the  village. 
The  news  of  their  visit,  and  the  object  of  it,  had 
preceded  them,  and  they  experienced  an  un 
gracious  reception. 

*  The  Pawnee  Loups  are  the  only  Pawnees  who  yet  re 
tain  this  custom.  They  offer  their  victim  to  the  Great  Star 
(the  planet  Venus).  The  prisoner  is,  if  possible,  kept  in  ig 
norance  of  his  intended  fate,  until  led  out  to  die.  The  sacri 
fices  are  generally  offered  in  the  spring  of  the  year,  to  insure 
a  bountiful  harvest. 


Chief  of  the  Loups.  243 

As  they  passed  through  the  town  the  tops 
of  the  lodges  were  filled  with  women  and  chil 
dren,  and  a  crowd  was  collected  in  front  of  the 
lodge  of  the  chief. 

The  whites  forced  their  way  through  them 
to  the  entrance  of  the  lodge.  Here  the  chief 
met  them.  His  welcome  and  his  alone  was 
cordial.  He  ushered  the  Agent  into  his  dwell 
ing,  nor  did  he  turn  a  deaf  ear  to  his  request 
that  the  Cheyenne  woman  might  be  spared. 
He  told  him,  however,  that  he  had  no  power  to 
free  her,  and  all  that  he  could  do  would  be  to 
assemble  a  council  of  the  tribe,  and  lay  the 
matter  before  them  ;  that  he  would  use  his  in 
fluence,  and  would  do  his  best  to  have  the 
life  of  the  captive  saved. 

He  accordingly  despatched  messengers  to 
call  a  council ;  and  they  assembled  that  very 
night.  At  the  appointed  hour  they  met,  took 
their  seats  in  silence,  and  with  faces  which  gave 
but  little  hope  of  a  merciful  result  to  their  de 
liberations.  In  the  centre  of  the  lodge  sat  the 
Agent  and  his  companions;  and  near  them  the 
captive.  She  had  been  led  in  passively,  and 
made  no  appeal,  for  she  had  no  hope. 

She  looked  as  if  every  sense  and  feeling  had 


244  Chief  of  the  Loups. 

been  paralyzed,  by  the  dread  of  her  approach 
ing  fate. 

The  Agent  rose  up  and  stated  his  object  to 
the  meeting.  He  was  a  firm  man,  and  had 
spent  much  of  his  life  among  the  savages;  but 
it  needed  all  his  resolution,  and  all  his  knowl 
edge  of  Indian  character,  to  effect  the  desired 
object.  As  he  spoke  there  was  no  friendly 
look  returned  ;  no  sound  of  approbation  uttered. 
They  listened  with  a  calm,  cold  air,  and  he 
finished  his  address,  conscious  that  besides  the 
chief  he  had  not  enlisted  the  friendly  feeling 
of  a  single  person,  in  the  whole  of  the  dark 
circle  which  surrounded  him. 

When  he  had  ended,  the  chief,  who  had 
been  seated  at  the  foot  of  a  pillar,  rose.  He 
was  in  favor  of  releasing  the  captive,  and  of 
sending  her  off  with  the  whites.  He  spoke 
with  the  energy,  and  vehement  gesticula 
tion  customary  among  the  Indians.  During 
his  speech  there  was  a  portentous  silence, 
and  when  he  had  finished,  a  hundred  throats 
yelled  out  cries  of  anger  and  denunciation. 
It  was  not,  however,  in  his  nature  to  yield. 
Incensed  at  the  opposition,  he  raised  his  voice 
until  it  even  drowned  the  noise  of  the  whole 


Chief  of  the  Loups.  245 

assembly,  and  swore  by  the  Great  Spirit  that 
she  should  be  delivered  to  the  whites ;  and 
he  dared  any  man  of  the  whole  assembly,  to 
offer  her  the  slightest  injury. 

All  appeared  to  quail  before  the  master 
spirit,  and  one  after  another  they  left  the  lodge, 
until  the  chief,  the  captive,  and  the  whites 
were  its  sole  occupants.  Soon  the  chief  went 
out  also.  In  an  hour  he  returned,  followed  by 
two  armed  Indians,  whom  he  stationed  in  a  re 
mote  part  of  the  lodge,  placing  the  squaw  be 
tween  them.  Upon  being  asked  the  reason  of 
this  precaution,  he  said  that  the  Soldier  Chief, 
instigated  by  one  of  the  Medicine-men  of  the 
village,  had  created  a  disturbance,  which  caused 
him  to  fear  for  the  life  of  the  captive,  and  that 
these  men  were  placed  to  protect  her. 

He  evaded  all  further  inquiries,  and  shortly 
afterwards  left  the  lodge. 

The  whites  slept  in  his  lodge,  but  scarcely 
closed  their  eyes  that  night. 

The  guards  kept  watch  on  each  side  of  the 
captive,  motionless  but  sleepless. 

On  the  following  morning  the  horses  were 
saddled  in  front  of  the  lodge,  and  the  party, 
having  armed  themselves,  prepared  to  mount. 


246  Chief  of  the  Loups. 

The  chief  led  out  the  captive,  and  forcing  back 
the  angry  crowd  placed  her  upon  a  horse,  be 
tween  two  of  the  whites,  at  the  same  time 
cautioning  them  to  lose  no  time  in  leaving 
the  village. 

They  accordingly  attempted  to  push  for 
ward,  but  the  crowd  hemmed  them  in  so 
closely  that  it  was  with  difficulty  they  pre 
vented  their  horses  from  trampling  them  down. 
This  throng  continued  to  press  round  them 
until  they  reached  the  lodge  of  the  Soldier 
Chief.  As  they  passed  it  a  bow  twanged  from 
within,  and  an  arrow  whizzing  through  the  air 
was  buried  up  to  the  feather  in  the  side  of  the 
Cheyenne  captive.  With  a  loud  scream,  she 
tossed  her  arms  in  the  air,  and  fell  forward 
upon  the  neck  of  the  horse.  At  the  same  mo 
ment  a  loud  roar  rose  from  the  multitude,  and 
two  Indians  seizing  the  bridle  jerked  the  horse 
onwards.  The  crowd  opened  to  let  them  pass, 
but  before  the  whites  could  follow  it  had  again 
closed.  At  that  moment  the  Agent  heard  a 
loud  whoop  behind  him,  and  turning,  beheld 
the  Black  Chief  and  the  Soldier  grappled  in  a 
desperate  conflict,  while  the  followers  of  each 
stood  by  watching  the  result.  They  were 


Chief  of  the  Loups.  247 

both  unarmed,  and  the  issue  was  to  depend 
upon  their  bodily  strength  alone.  They  were 
well  matched,  but  the  Black  Chief  had  the  ad 
vantage,  for  he  had  a  deadly  gripe  upon  the 
throat  of  his  opponent. 

The  Agent  knew,  however,  that  whichever 
might  be  victorious  the  conflict  would  termi 
nate  fatally  to  himself.  He  therefore  sprang 
from  his  horse,  and  succeeded,  with  the  aid  of 
several  chiefs,  in  dragging  them  apart  and  in 
putting  an  end  to  the  contest.  He  then  turned 
to  look  for  the  captive. 

She  had  been  borne  off  by  the  crowd,  who 
were  rushing  over  the  prairie  with  deafening 
yells. 

Still  determined  if  possible  to  save  her,  he 
sprang  upon  his  horse  and  galloped  after  them. 
But  he  was  too  late.  They  had  torn  the 
wretched  being  to  pieces,  smeared  themselves 
with  her  gore,  and  were  whirling  her  head  and 
quivering  limbs  in  the  air. 

From  that  time  there  had  been  a  settled 
hatred  between  the  Black  Chief  and  the  Soldier. 
They  spoke  not ;  neither  entered  the  lodgeof  the 
other,  and  they  acted  no  more  in  concert  than, 
if  they  had  been  leaders  of  separate  villages. 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 

Exploit  of  the  Black  *Chief— Alarm  in  the 
Town — Departure  from  Grand  Pawnees — 
Delegation  Death  Song. 

LATE  one  evening  we  were  sitting  around 
the  fire  in  the  lodge  of  the  chief.  There 
were  about  thirty  Indians  present,  some  lying 
upon  the  floor,  and  others  sitting  huddled  up, 
wrapped  in  their  robes,  and  watching  us.  Joe 
and  Mordecai  were  spreading  our  beds  of  bear 
skins  and  blankets,  and  while  this  was  going 
on  the  interpreter,  after  dwelling  upon  the 
fearless  character  of  our  host,  related  the  fol 
lowing  anecdote  illustrative  of  it. 

About  a  year  before  this,  the  Black  Chief 
had,  by  some  means  or  other,  fallen  into  dis 
repute  with  his  tribe,  who  refused  to  admit  him 
to  their  councils,  until  by  some  heroic  action, 
he  should  wipe  off  the  stain  upon  his  name. 

He  knew  that  there  was  no  resource  ;  that 
the  blood  of  an  enemy  alone  would  retrieve 
his  fame. 

248 


Exploit  of  Black  Chief  .  249 

He  determined,  therefore,  to  shed  it  in  a 
manner  which  even  the  most  desperate  of  his 
own  tribe  would  not  have  dreamed  of,  and 
which  would  strike  a  salutary  terror  of  his  name 
into  the  hearts  of  his  hostile  neighbors. 

Early  one  morning,  fully  armed,  he  left  his 
lodge  and  started  on  foot  for  the  Crow  village, 
about  two  hundred  miles  distant.  He  set  out 
upon  his  journey  without  attendants,  and  sing 
ing  his  death-song.  His  tribe  watched  until  he 
was  out  of  sight ;  they  knew  not  whither  he 
was  going ;  he  might  return  soon,  in  a  day, 
in  a  month,  and  perhaps  never.  They  knew 
his  fearless  character;  they  knew  that  his 
errand  was  one  of  blood  ;  and  they  doubted 
not,  that  if  he  returned,  he  would  bring  home 
trophies  sufficient  to  reinstate  him  in  his 
former  position  in  the  tribe. 

On  the  evening  of  the  fourth  day  he  reached 
the  Crow  village ;  but  waited  at  a  short  dis 
tance  from  it,  concealed  in  a  prairie  until  it 
was  dark.  He  then  entered  the  town. 

Several  of  the  inhabitants  were  stirring,  but 
in  the  darkness  they  did  not  particularly  notice 
him,  and  he  passed  on  undetected. 

At  length  he  came  to  a  lodge,  a  little  apart 


250  Exploit  of  Black  Chief . 

from  the  rest,  and  with  a  horse  standing  at  the 
door,  tied  by  a  halter.  Peering  over  the  bear 
skin  which  hung  before  the  entrance  he  saw 
two  Indians  sitting  in  front  of  a  fire,  and  a 
squaw  pounding  corn  in  a  large  wooden  mor 
tar,  and  at  a  little  distance  a  child  sleep 
ing  on  the  floor.  The  backs  of  all  were  tow 
ards  him.  Drawing  his  knife  with  his  left 
hand,  and  grasping  his  tomahawk  in  his  right, 
he  dashed  into  the  building.  With  two  blows, 
he  clove  the  skulls  of  the  men,  and  threatened 
the  squaw  with  death  if  she  made  any  outcry. 
Having  scalped  his  victims  he  mounted  the 
horse  at  the  door  and  started  off. 

He  had  not  gone  far  before  he  saw  an 
Indian  making  for  this  lodge.  He  felt  a 
strong  hankering  after  his  scalp  also  ;  but  there 
were  other  Indians  near,  and  he  feared  that  the 
whole  town  would  be  roused.  Resisting,  there 
fore,  the  temptation,  he  galloped  for  the  prai 
rie.  Scarcely  had  he  got  clear  of  the  village, 
when  it  rang  with  yells  and  screams  ;  and  in  a 
few  moments  he  heard  the  cries  of  pursuers. 
In  a  night  chase,  over  an  open  prairie,  the  pur 
sued  always  has  the  advantage  ;  he  has  but  to 
dash  forward,  while  his  foes  must  stop  to  trace 
his  course. 


Alarm  in  the  Town.  2  5 1 

So  it  was  with  the  Black  Chief ;  and,  long  be 
fore  morning,  his  horse  had  borne  him  far  be 
yond  the  sound  of  pursuit. 

He  reached  his  village  in  safety,  related  his 
tale,  displayed  his  scalps,  was  received  with 
honor,  and  once  more  resumed  his  seat  in  the 
councils  of  his  nation. 

During  this  narration,  the  chief,  unconscious 
that  he  was  the  subject  of  discourse,  sat  gaz 
ing  upon  the  fire,  with  a  face  as  calm  and  quiet 
as  if  no  evil  passion  had  ever  harbored  in  his 
bosom. 

The  tale  was  scarcely  finished,  when  we  were 
startled  by  a  loud  outcry  in  the  village.  The 
next  moment  the  bear-skin  was  thrown 
back ;  an  armed  Indian  stuck  his  head  into 
the  lodge,  shouted  out  a  few  words,  and  as 
quickly  disappeared.  Every  savage  sprang  to 
his  feet  and  rushed  to  the  entrance. 

In  a  short  time  the  chief  returned.  Never 
had  I  seen  such  a  change.  His  eyes  gleamed 
like  fire,  his  teeth  were  clenched,  and  snatch 
ing  his  bow  and  arrows  from  a  shelf,  and  catch 
ing  up  his  war-club,  he  rushed  out. 

The  tumult  grew  louder.  The  interpreter 
came  in  and  informed  us  that  a  party  of  Sioux 


252  Alarm  in  the   Town. 

Indians  had  stolen  into  the  town,  opened  one 
of  the  large  wicker  pens,  and  had  carried  off 
about  fifty  Pawnee  horses.  They  had  nearly 
effected  their  retreat,  when  they  were  dis 
covered  by  a  young  Indian,  who  gave  the 
alarm,  and  the  whole  village  was  now  in  arms. 

On  sallying  forth,  we  found  every  thing  in  a 
state  of  uproar.  Whoops  and  yells,  mingled 
with  the  cries  of  women,  sounded  in  every  di 
rection. 

Horsemen  were  galloping  through  the  town. 
The  voices  of  the  leaders  were  heard  above  all, 
giving  "orders  and  urging  on  the  pursuit. 

At  length  they  disappeared  in  the  darkness, 
and  the  sounds  of  their  voices  died  away  in 
the  distance. 

In  about  an  hour  they  returned,  and  the 
chief  made  his  appearance,  gloomy  and  morose. 
He  had  taken  no  scalps  ;  he  had  seen  no  ene 
mies  ;  no  horses  had  been  stolen  ;  and  the 
whole  tumult  had  been  caused  by  a  young  Paw 
nee,  who,  observing  one  of  his  own  tribe  en 
gaged  in  collecting  his  horses  at  an  unusual 
hour  of  the  night,  mistook  him  for  an  enemy, 
and  gave  the  alarm. 

Nothing  further  occurred  to  disturb  us,  and 


Departure  from  the  Grand  Pawnees.     253 

retiring  to  our  bear-skins  we  slept  soundly  un 
til  morning. 

We  remained  but  a  day  in  this  village,  and 
then  returned  to  the  Grand  Pawnee  town,  where 
we  made  preparations  for  our  return  to  the 
white  settlements,  much  to  the  regret  of  the 
women  and  children,  who  gathered  at  our 
quarters  to  take  a  last  look  at  us  before  we 
went. 

A  delegation  of  Pawnees,  four  from  each  vil 
lage,  had  been  selected  to  accompany  us  to  the 
garrison. 

This  delegation  was  increased  by  about 
sixty  or  seventy  volunteers,  who  joined  them 
in  hopes  of  obtaining  a  share  of  any  presents 
that  might  be  distributed,  or  to  take  part  in 
any  fight  that  might  be  on  hand. 

A  smile  of  kindness  illuminated  the  grim 
face  of  our  host  as  he  bade  us  farewell.  The 
horses  were  saddled,  and  we  were  preparing 
to  mount,  when  our  attention  was  attracted 
by  a  low  and  not  inharmonious  cry,  which 
rose  from  the  distant  part  of  the  village.  It 
came  nearer  and  nearer,  sinking  into  a  long 
wailing  moan,  in  which  many  voices  were 
united. 


254    Departure  from  the  Grand  Pawnees. 

At  length  a  train  of  Indians,  dressed  in  white 
buffalo  robes,*  came  from  behind  one  of  the 
lodges. 

As  they  approached  us,  we  recognized  them 
for  our  party  of  delegates  and  their  fellow-trav 
ellers. 

They  were  singing  their  death-song,  as  is 
customary  with  Indians,  before  setting  out 
upon  a  perilous  expedition.  It  is  usually  a 
history  of  their  exploits  in  battle,  and  winds  up 
by  taking  leave  of  their  friends  and  fellow- 
townsmen. 

The  dirge  swelled  loudly  as  the  long  train 
passed  us,  but  it  became  fainter  and  fainter 
as  they  wound  their  way  among  the  distant 
lodges,  which  were  thronged  by  their  families, 
who  were  anxious  to  take  a  last  look  at  them 
before  they  set  out  on  the  perilous  journey 
from  which  their  friends  feared  that  they  would 
never  return. 

In  a  short  time  the  rest  of  us  were  galloping 
over  the  prairie  to  overtake  those  who  had  pre 
ceded  us  ;  and  after  travelling  about  a  mile,  we 
crossed  over  a  hill  and  lost  sight  of  the  town. 

*  The  white  buffalo  robe  is  so  called  merely  from  one  of  its 
sides  being  whitened  with  chalk  in  dressing  it.  The  wool  is 
of  the  same  color  as  that  of  all  others  (a  dark  brown). 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 
Storm — Dog  Feast. 

A  HEAVY  storm  of  snow  and  rain  set  in 
on  the  day  after  our  departure  from 
the  Pawnee  village. 

If  there  is  any  thing  truly  comfortless,  it  is  a 
camp  upon  a  rainy  day.  Every  thing  com 
bined  to  add  to  its  gloomy  character.  The 
fly  of  the  tent,  which  might  have  afforded  us 
some  additional  protection,  had  been  torn  to 
tatters,  and  the  roof  of  our  canvas  house 
settled  down  into  a  bag. 

Through  this  a  steady  stream  of  water 
trickled  upon  the  centre  of  a  board,  which  we 
had  honored  with  the  appellation  of  a  break 
fast  table.  The  blankets  were  rolled  up  and 
piled  in  the  middle  of  the  tent,  covered  by  a 
large  bear-skin.  This  was  nearly  saturated 
with  the  dripping  water.  A  large  pile  of 
green  logs,  heaped  up  in  front  of  the  tent,  re 
fused  to  burn,  but  yielded  a  bountiful  supply 
255 


256  Storm — Dog  Feast. 

of  smoke,  which  the  wind  occasionally  wafted 
in  clouds  into  our  canvas  habitation. 

The  thorough  drenching  which  they  had  re 
ceived  seemed  to  have  soaked  all  pride  and 
dignity  out  of  our  Indian  companions.  They 
crouched  like  wet  poultry  round  the  fire,  shut 
ting  their  eyes  and  holding  their  breath,  de 
termined  to  receive  some  of  the  warmth  in 
defiance  of  the  clouds  of  smoke  which  it 
threw  into  their  faces.  Here  and  there  were 
groups  squatting  out  in  the  prairie,  each  man 
huddled  up  into  a  knot,  with  the  rain  pouring 
in  streams  down  his  shaggy  robe  and  dripping 
off  into  the  grass.  The  paint  was  drenched 
from  his  face,  and  his  whole  demeanor  so 
utterly  changed  that  it  was  almost  impossible 
to  recognize  the  proud,  haughty  warrior  in 
the  dripping,  bedraggled  being  then  crouching 
in  the  grass  beneath  the  pelting  storm.  Once 
or  twice  some  poor  half-drowned  fellow,  with 
a  desperate  attempt  at  jovialty,  struck  up  a 
song  with  a  come-let-'s-be-jolly  kind  of  an  air, 
which  was  intended  to  set  the  weather  and 
fortune  at  defiance  ;  but  it  was  a  failure.  At 
the  commencement  one  or  two  voices  joined 
in  with  valorous  spirit,  but,  finding  that  they 


Storm — Dog  Feast.  257 

were  not  supported,  they  gradually  sunk  into 
silence,  leaving  the  person  who  had  com 
menced  the  strain  to  finish  it  as  well  as  he 
might. 

Drip — drip — drip — pattered  the  rain  into  a 
tin  bucket  placed  in  the  tent  to  receive  it.  At 
length  a  large  puddle  which  had  collected  in 
the  rear  overflowed  its  banks  and  stole  in  a 
small  rivulet  through  the  centre  of  the  tent. 
A  smothered  exclamation  from  one  of  the 
party,  who  was  seated  in  the  very  track  of  the 
water,  announced  its  intrusion.  Several  of  the 
soldiers  were  then  sent  out  with  pails  and 
shovels,  and  in  a  short  time  succeeded  in 
draining  a  part  of  the  pond  and  digging  a 
different  outlet  for  its  waters. 

Just  then  the  yelping  of  a  cur  was  heard  at 
a  little  distance  in  a  clump  of  bushes,  which 
the  Wild  Horse  had  chosen  for  his  residence. 

"  So  !  the  dog  too  is  a  sufferer  on  account 
of  the  inclemency  of  the  weather.  No  doubt 
the  Wild  Horse  is  completely  drenched  and  in 
a  terrible  fume." 

Another  hour  passed,  but  still  the  rain  con 
tinued.  Just  then  the  entrance  of  the  tent 
was  darkened  and  the  Wild  Horse  came  in. 


258  Storm — Dog  Feast. 

He  held  in  his  hand  a  large  wooden  bowl 
filled  with  boiled  flesh,  which  he  placed  smok 
ing  before  us.  We  were  informed  that  it  was 
dog  flesh  and  invited  to  try  it.  The  soldiers 
had  also  received  a  share,  but  without  being 
told  what  it  was.  "  What  is  it,"  said  one, 
taking  up  a  small  morsel  and  holding  it  to  his 
nose,  "  is  it  venison  ?  " 

"  It  tastes  odd,"  said  another,  biting  in  two 
a  large  piece.  Several  of  them  then  com 
menced  an  attack  upon  the  contents  of  their 
bowl. 

"  I  don't  exactly  know  what  animal  this  be 
longs  to,"  said  one  of  them,  who  was  eating 
heartily,  "  and  to  tell  the  truth,  I  don't  alto 
gether  like  the  strangeish  taste  there  is 
about  it." 

"  Poh  !  what  should  it  be,"  repeated  another, 
''but  vension  ?  and  mighty  tender  too.  I 
wish  there  was  more  of  it ;  fresh  meat  don't 
come  every  day  upon  these  prairies,  for  the 
deer  are  getting  powerful  shy." 

Just  then  the  canvas  opening  of  the  tent 
was  pulled  back,  and  the  iron  face  of  the  inter 
preter  was  thrust  in  to  say  that  the  Wild 
Horse  wished  to  know  if  the  Commissioner 
was  pleased  with  the  dogs  flesh.  The  soldiers 


Storm — Dog  Feast,  259 

overheard  it,  and  in  an  instant  the  dish  was 
hurled  from  the  fire,  and  the  gourmands  made 
for  the  water,  writhing  and  twisting  their  faces, 
as  if  they  had  been  stricken  by  St.  Vitus. 

The  Wild  Horse  gazed  upon  them  with 
amazement,  mingled  with  anger  ;  but  when  the 
interpreter  explained  the  cause  of  the  tumult, 
his  displeasure  vanished,  and  a  grim  smile 
lighted  up  his  hard,  weather-beaten  face.  Then 
turning  to  his  wife  (for  he  was  attended  by  his 
better  half),  he  called  for  a  fresh  supply  of  the 
viand,  and  collecting  round  him  a  group  of  the 
vagabond-looking  beings  who  were  nestling  in 
the  grass,  they  soon  left  little  else  but  clean 
bones  in  the  bowl. 

We  remained  a  whole  day  upon  the  banks  of 
the  Platte  River,  but  towards  sunset  a  bright 
blue  streak  appeared  in  the  west,  and  the  dark 
misty  clouds  began  to  drive  off  towards  the 
south. 

The  sun  at  length  showed  itself  upon  the  dis 
tant  hills,  and  before  it  had  completely  sunk 
in  the  west,  the  sky  was  as  pure  and  cloudless 
as  in  one  of  the  days  of  June.  This  was  hailed 
with  joy  by  the  whole  band,  both  Indians  and 
whites,  and  preparations  were  made  for  an 
early  start  on  the  following  morning. 


CHAPTER  XXXIII. 

Hunting — Prairie  Dogs. 

AFTER  a  few  days  our  routine  of  travel 
was  pretty  well  established. 

At  sunrise  the  camp  broke  up.  The  tents 
were  struck.  The  Indians  emerged  from  what 
ever  shelter  they  had  erected  for  the  night,  and 
we  set  out  on  our  journey  with  the  old  lotan 
as  our  guide. 

He  was  familiar  with  the  whole  country. 
He  knew  where  ravines  were  to  be  avoided, 
and  where  the  river  banks  were  lowest,  and 
where  fords  were  to  be  found. 

As  the  movements  of  the  train  were  slow,  I 
always  started  off  early  in  the  morning  to 
hunt. 

Deer  and  wild  fowl  were  to  be  found  in 
the  ravines  and  brooks,  and  I  contrived  to 
pick  up  some  of  the  latter  in  the  course  of  the 
day,  but  was  not  successful  in  bringing  down 
a  deer. 

I  was  usually  accompanied  by  Rash,  who 
260 


Hunting — Prairie  Dogs.  261 

was  a  dead  shot,  or  by  the  Otoe  Indian  Hah- 
che-ka-sug-ha,  of  whom  I  had  made  a  firm 
friend  by  presenting  to  him  a  silk  handkerchief, 
and  accepting  in  return  a  belt  of  raw  hide. 

From  that  time  he  always  called  me  "  Min- 
tarrah,"  which  I  was  told  by  the  interpreter 
meant  "  adopted  brother,"  and  as  his  name 
was  a  long-winded  one,  I  abbreviated  it,  and 
called  him  "  Archy,"  to  which  he  soon  became 
accustomed  and  responded. 

In  our  hunts  we  often  got  separated  and  out 
of  sight  of  each  other,  and  did  not  meet  again 
until  at  night  when  we,  one  by  one,  struck  the 
trail  left  by  our  party,  and  followed  it  into  the 
camp. 

This  trail,  being  made  by  about  one  hundred 
persons,  mounted  and  in  wagons,  and  on  foot 
tramping  through  the  grass  and  across  the 
burnt  ground,  was  so  distinct  that  there  was 
little  danger  of  missing  it. 

In  one  of  these  hunts  I  came  across  a  vil 
lage  of  prairie  dogs.  My  arrival  among  them 
was  a  surprise  both  to  myself  and  to  them. 

I  had  ascended  a  hill  for  the  purpose  of  tak 
ing  a  look  around  in  the  hope  of  discovering 
some  signs  of  game. 


262          Hunting — Prairie  Dogs. 

Upon  reaching  the  summit,  I  was  surprised 
to  see  a  number  of  small  conical  hillocks  ex 
tending  as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach,  and  on 
the  top  of  each  of  the  more  distant  ones  was 
seated  a  small  animal  resembling  a  squirrel. 

All  were  barking,  or  rather  squeaking,  vocif 
erously. 

As  I  approached  them  they  darted  into  their 
holes  before  I  came  within  gun-shot.  I  exam 
ined  some  of  their  burrows,  and  thrust  my 
hand  down  into  one  of  them.  I  heard  after 
wards  that  this  was  a  risky  performance,  as 
these  holes  were  also  occupied  by  rattlesnakes, 
who  were  on  the  most  friendly  terms  with  their 
fellow-tenants. 

I  was  very  anxious  to  get  one  of  these  dogs, 
for  I  had  heard  much  of  them,  but  had  never 
seen  them  until  now  ;  so  I  threw  myself  on  the 
ground,  levelled  my  rifle  over  the  top  of  one  of 
the  mounds  and  watched,  keeping  perfectly 
motionless. 

It  was  not  long  before  a  head  appeared  above 
the  top  of  a  mound  within  rifle-shot.  Then  it 
emerged  a  little  farther.  The  owner  of  it  was 
evidently  reconnoitring.  At  length  he  came 
out  entirely  and  commenced  to  bark. 


Hunting — Prairie  Dogs.          263 

As  he  did  so  I  fired.  He  turned  a  quick 
summersault  and  darted  down  his  hole. 

The  noise  of  the  rifle  drove  even  the  most 
distant  ones  to  their  retreats,  and  I  gave  up  all 
hope  of  getting  any  of  them. 

Reloading  my  rifle,  I  walked  up  to  the  cone 
on  which  the  little  animal  had  been,  and  looked 
down  the  hole.  To  my  surprise  the  end  of  his 
tail  was  in  sight.  I  put  my  hand  down  and 
pulled  him  out.  My  bullet  had  killed  him. 

When  I  reached  the  camp  that  evening  my 
success  was  looked  upon  as  something  very 
unusual. 

I  gave  the  animal  to  one  of  the  Indians,  who 
cooked  it  and  invited  me  to  partake  of  it. 

I  did  not  know  whether  prairie  dogs  were 
eatable  or  not ;  but  as  the  same  Indian  had  on 
a  previous  occasion  killed  and  eaten  a  wild-cat, 
I  declined  his  invitation. 


CHAPTER  XXXIV. 

Deer  Hunt — Encampment — Indian  Night-Fires 
— Lost  Horses — Doctor 's  Mule. 

ON  the  third  morning  after  leaving  the  vil 
lage,  I  started  out  to  hunt  on  foot  in 
company  with  three  Indians :  two  Otoes,  who 
had  borrowed  rifles  from  the  soldiers,  and  a 
Pawnee.  The  party,  and  the  train  of  accom 
panying  delegates,  were  journeying  in  a  long 
line  over  the  prairie  at  some  miles'  distance. 
We  hunted  for  several  hours  up  and  down  the 
deep  ravines  which  intersected  the  prairie. 
My  two  companions  had  become  separated 
from  me ;  but  the  Pawnee  lingered  with  me, 
and  trudged  at  my  heels,  with  the  hope  of  com 
ing  in  for  a  share  of  any  game  that  I  might  kill 
during  the  day.  We  travelled  up  one  ravine 
and  down  another,  but  nothing  was  to  be 
found. 

"  Ugh !  "  burst  from  the  lips  of  the  Pawnee. 

I  looked  around  ;  he  was  crouching  flat  to  the 
ground,  and  made  signs  to  me  to  get  my  rifle 
264 


Deer  Hunt.  265 

ready.  Vague  suspicions  of  danger  flashed 
across  my  mind,  for  we  had  heard  that  there 
was  a  band  of  Sioux  Indians  lurking  around 
our  party. 

Could  I  have  come  unawares  upon  them  ? 

These  ideas  flashed  momentarily  upon  me, 
but  they  as  quickly  subsided,  and  cocking  my 
gun  I  stole  cautiously  towards  my  companion. 
He  was  crouching  in  the  bushes  near  the  top 
of  a  ridge  which  overlooked  a  deep  ravine. 

As  I  approached  him  he  shrank  still  closer 
into  his  hiding-place,  and  made  signs  to  me  to 
go  to  the  top  of  the  ridge.  I  crept  up  its  top 
and  peered  over.  As  I  did  so  I  caught  sight  of 
an  Indian,  as  he  squatted  quickly  behind  a  bush. 
My  fears  seemed  realized.  We  had  fallen  into 
the  snare  !  I  looked  towards  the  Pawnee  ;  he 
was  still  maintaining  his  position,  and  keenly 
watching  my  movements.  As  he  caught  my 
eye,  he  urged  me  by  his  gestures  to  fire  :  I  hes 
itated.  At  that  instant  the  Indian  in  front  of 
me  rose  from  behind  the  bush,  and  I  recognized 
him  as  one  of  my  Otoe  companions. 

The  next  moment  I  caught  sight  of  a  large 
buck  lying  in  the  grass ;  and  the  mystery  was 
explained. 


266  Deer  Hunt. 

The  Pawnee  had  seen  the  animal,  and  it  was 
the  deer  and  not  the  Indian  whom  he  wished 
to  be  shot.  As  I  rose  to  fire,  the  Otoe 
again  crouched  behind  the  bush.  My  bullet 
missed,  and  the  beast,  leaping  up,  sprang 
towards  the  spot  where  his  other  foe  lay  hid. 
He  had  scarcely  taken  three  leaps  before  a  shot 
whistled  from  a  clump  of  bushes  at  some  dis 
tance  and  in  a  different  quarter.  The  deer 
changed  his  course,  and  making  for  the  opposite 
side  of  the  ravine,  dashed  through  the  bushes 
and  up  the  ragged  steep. 

The  Otoe,  who  had  first  secreted  himself, 
had  a  fair  view  of  him,  and  fired.  The  deer 
fell  on  one  knee,  but  regained  his  feet.  In 
front  of  him  was  a  steep  bank  covered  with 
bushes.  He  made  a  desperate  effort  to  gain 
it,  but  failed,  and  rolled  headlong  down  the 
hill.  A  loud  whoop  burst  from  the  three  In 
dians,  and  the  two  youngest  sprang  forward  to 
the  spot ;  while  the  third,  who  was  a  cautious 
old  fellow,  stopped  to  reload  his  rifle. 

When  they  arrived  at  the  place  where  the 
buck  had  fallen,  they  found  that  he  was  not 
dead,  neither  was  his  wound  mortal ;  one  of  his 
forelegs  had  been  shattered  by  the  bullet,  but 


Encampment.  267 

he  had  gained  his  feet,  and  now  stood  at  bay. 
His  head  was  bent  to  the  ground,  and  he  dashed 
his  antlers  furiously  in  every  direction.  The 
Indians  made  several  attempts  to  thrust  their 
knives  into  him,  but  were  as  often  balked  by 
his  fiercely  brandished  antlers.  They  hovered 
around  him,  now  threatening  him  in  one  direc 
tion,  now  in  another;  but  his  horns  ever  met 
them.  Just  then  the  Indian  who  had  remained 
behind  to  load  his  rifle  came  up,  and  ended 
the  struggle  by  shooting  him  through  the  head. 

An  Indian  is  a  quick  butcher,  and  not  more 
than  ten  minutes  had  elapsed  before  the  animal 
was  skinned  and  cut  up.  Each  of  us  took  a 
quarter  upon  our  backs  and  set  off  for  the  en 
campment,  which  we  reached  about  an  hour 
after  nightfall ;  by  which  time,  to  judge  by  my 
feelings,  the  weight  of  my  load  of  venison  had 
increased  about  tenfold. 

The  party  had  encamped  in  a  small  isolated 
grove. 

It  was  completely  clear  of  underwood,  except 
here  and  there  a  tall  bush  ;  and  there  was  not 
another  tree  in  sight.  A  spring  gushed  out  at 
the  foot  of  a  hill  at  a  short  distance,  and  flowed 
in  a  pure  but  scanty  stream  through  the  grove. 


268  Encampment. 

The  Indians  had  divided  into  squads,  and 
every  squad  had  kindled  a  fire. 

All  the  arrangements  were  not  yet  completed. 

The  soldiers  were  felling  dead  trees  for  fuel, 
and  Joseph  was  hobbling  and  swearing  at  his 
mules ;  while  Mordecai,  with  the  air  of  an  ex 
pert,  stood  by,  assisting  him  with  his  advice. 

Some  of  the  Pawnees  and  Otoes  were  scat 
tered  through  the  grove  in  search  of  fuel ;  some 
breaking  dead  limbs  from  the  trees,  and  others 
collecting  what  was  on  the  ground.  Two  or 
three  were  putting  up  bough-houses,  and  sev 
eral  young  Otoes  were  employed  in  making  a 
shelter  of  the  same  kind  for  the  wife  of  the 
lotan,  who  had  been  unwell  for  several  days 
past,  and  whose  disease  always  grew  worse 
towards  evening,  when  she  would  have  been 
obliged  to  work,  if  she  had  been  in  good  health. 

In  the  course  of  an  hour,  the  Indians  com 
pleted  their  arrangements  and  kindled  a  string 
of  fires  along  the  dry  bed  of  a  stream.  As  I 
had  never  seen  them  when  encamped,  except 
upon  the  Platte,  where  all  vivacity  had  been 
soaked  out  of  them,  I  strolled  among  the  dif 
ferent  groups.  They  were  all  in  high  glee.  I 
came  to  the  fire  occupied  by  the  Wild  Horse's 


Encampment.  269 

family  and  a  few  of  his  dependants.  The  old 
warrior  was  in  the  keen  enjoyment  of  some 
witticism  just  uttered  by  a  little  shrivelled  fel 
low,  a  hanger-on,  who  was  evidently  trying  to 
make  himself  agreeable,  that  he  might  be  in 
vited  to  partake  of  a  raccoon  that  was  cooking 
over  the  fire,  under  the  superintendence  of  the 
squaw  of  his  host. 

The  Wild  Horse  made  room  for  me  by  his 
side,  so  I  seated  myself,  nor  was  I  permitted 
to  leave  him  until  I  had  partaken  of  his  viands. 
From  his  fire  I  went  to  that  of  the  Long  Hair, 
who  was  huddled  up,  with  his  whole  soul  ap 
parently  engaged  in  roasting  a  piece  of  veni 
son  upon  the  point  of  a  green  stick.  He 
looked  up  for  a  moment,  and  then  turned  his 
attention  to  the  roast.  I  soon  left  him  and 
strolled  to  the  fire  of  the  Otoes.  Here  I  found 
the  Doctor,  seated  between  the  lotan  and  his 
wife,  prescribing  for  her,  and  taking  care  of 
himself  by  occasionally  cutting  a  rib  from  a 
piece  of  venison  which  was  roasting  at  the 
chief's  fire. 

Early  the  next  morning,  just  as  the  tents 
were  struck,  Mordecai  made  his  appearance 
with  a  very  long  face,  informing  us  that  two 


2 70   Lost  Horses. —  The  Doctors  Mule. 

horses  and  also  the  mule  belonging  to  the  Doc 
tor  were  missing.  The  Doctor  was  in  a  fever- 
He  ran  down  to  the  place  where  the  animals 
had  pastured  ;  he  examined  the  bushes  and  beat 
through  all  the  long  grass,  but  his  mule,  Kitty 
Keero,  was  not  to  be  found.  He  then  seated 
himself  upon  the  stump  of  a  tree,  and  thrust 
ing  his  hands  in  his  breeches-pockets,  shouted 
the  name  of  his  mule  at  the  top  of  his  lungs; 
but  no  Kitty  Keero  answered  him.  At  last 
the  interpreter  pointed  to  a  wild-looking 
Pawnee,  who  was  leaning  against  a  tree.  He 
advised  the  Commissioner  to  send  him  in 
search  of  the  horses,  as  he  was  a  first-rate  fel 
low  to  track  a  hoof. 

A  blanket  was  accordingly  promised  the  In 
dian  in  case  of  success,  and  after  hovering 
around  the  grove  for  a  short  time,  in  search  of 
the  hoof  mark,  he  hit  upon  it,  and  started  off 
like  a  hound. 

In  an  hour  he  returned,  bringing  with  him 
the  vagrant  animals.  Kitty  Keero  gave  utter 
ance  to  a  long  apologetic  bray  as  she  entered 
the  grove.  This  was  well  received  by  her  mas 
ter,  who  was  so  much  overjoyed  at  once  more 
seeing  her,  that  two  or  three  reproachful  repe- 


Lost  Horses. —  The  Doctor  s  Mule.    271 

titions  of  her  name  were  all  the  chidings  she 
received. 

The  wagons  then  drove  out  of  the  grove, 
followed  by  the  Indians,  the  rear  being  brought 
up  by  the  horsemen.  In  front  of  them  rode 
the  Doctor,  mounted  upon  Kitty  ;  and  as  they 
jogged  slowly  along,  I  could  not  help  thinking 
that  they  would  have  formed  no  inapt  illustra 
tion  of  Sancho  Panza  and  his  beloved  Dapple. 


CHAPTER  XXXV. 

Elk  Chase —  Wandering  from  Party — Herd  of 
Elk — Night  Camp — Hill  of  Bones — Raccoon — 
Indian — Return  to  Party —  Wild  Horse. 

ON  the  morning  of  the  fifth  day  of  our 
journey,  an  Otoe  Indian,  who  was  on 
the  look-out,  came  running  to  us  with  the  in 
telligence  that  a  large  gang  of  elk  was  in  sight. 
All  was  excitement.  The  soldiers  snatched 
their  yagers ;  the  Otoes  their  rifles  ;  the  Paw 
nees  strung  their  bows,  drew  their  arrows  from 
their  quivers,  and  all  hurried  after  the  Indian 
guide,  over  the  burnt  prairie.  In  ten  minutes 
they  reached  the  top  of  a  hill,  overlooking  a 
deep  ravine,  about  three  hundred  yards  distant. 
It  was  thronged  with  elk.  Some  were  gam 
bolling  about ;  some  resting  amid  the  high, 
luxuriant  grass,  which  had  here  escaped  the 
fire ;  others  browsing  upon  the  foliage  of  the 
vines,  which  hung  in  long  festoons  from  the 
dwarf  bushes  ;  and  some  were  drinking  at  a 
272 


Elk  Chase.  273 

brook.  But  even  in  their  moments  of  greatest 
security,  their  instinctive  vigilance  was  not  at 
rest.  For,  while  the  most  of  the  herd  were 
frolicking,  several,  who  from  their  size  and  the 
length  of  their  antlers  appeared  to  be  the 
oldest  in  the  gang,  stood  on  the  look-out,  with 
their  heads  high  in  the  air. 

As  soon  as  our  party  had  ascended  the  hill 
and  come  in  sight,  the  sentinels  gave  the 
alarm,  and  a  general^  flight  commenced,  across 
the  ravine  and  up  the  opposite  bank.  Stones, 
dirt,  and  rocks  gave  way  beneath  the  rush  of 
the  foremost,  and  fell  among  those  in  the  rear, 
and  some,  losing  their  footing,  fell  back  upon 
their  companions ;  but,  notwithstanding  the 
confusion,  in  a  very  short  time  the  whole  herd 
made  its  way  up  the  steep,  and  were  scouring 
over  the  prairie  at  full  speed. 

"  No  elk  meat  to-day,"  said  Rash,  leaning  on 
the  end  of  his  yager,  and  watching  the  herd  as 
it  swept  behind  a  distant  skirt  of  trees. 

"  Ugh !  "  ejaculated  an  Otoe,  in  answer. 

"Ugh!"  ejaculated  half  a  dozen  Pawnees, 
unstringing  their  bows,  and  turning  off  towards 
the  camp. 

"  Ugh  !  nin-gah  om-pah  "  (no  elk),  said  Hah- 


274  Elk  Chase. 

che-kah-sug-hah,  shouldering  his  rifle,  and  pre 
paring  to  continue  his  usual  hunt. 

Instead  of  returning  to  the  camp  with  the 
others,  I  followed  him. 

We  commenced  a  search  in  the  hollows,  but 
for  a  long  time  were  unsuccessful.  At  last  the 
guttural  "  Ugh  !  "  from  the  Indian  informed  me 
that  he  saw  something,  and  the  next  moment 
he  pointed  out  a  large  buck,  reclining  in  a  dis 
tant  hollow. 

He  immediately  made  for  it,  while  I  seated 
myself  in  the  grass  to  watch  his  success.  After 
stealing  along  several  hollows,  and  keeping  in 
the  tall  grass,  he  at  last  came  upon  the  animal, 
and  fired.  The  buck  started  up,  staggered  a 
few  paces,  then  scampered  out  of  sight  over  a 
hill.  The  Indian,  after  pausing  to  reload,  fol 
lowed,  and  also  disappeared.  I  waited,  in 
hopes  of  hearing  the  whoop  which  usually  fol 
lowed  a  successful  shot ;  but  all  was  silent ; 
so  I  sauntered  slowly  along,  expecting  him  to 
return. 

Nearly  an  hour  had  elapsed,  when  I  caught 
sight  of  him,  standing  upon  the  top  of  a  high 
peak,  about  a  mile  off.  Supposing  that  he  had 
been  led  off  by  game,  I  did  not  wait  for  him, 


Elk  Chase.  275 

but  pushed  forward,  selecting  a  route  for  my 
self.  I  had  been  in  the  habit  of  leaving  the 
party  at  sunrise,  previously  ascertaining  the 
direction  which  they  intended  to  take  during 
the  day,  and  then,  coming  upon  their  trail 
later,  by  following  it  I  had  always  reached  the 
camp  by  nightfall.  From  never  failing  in  this 
I  had  grown  self-confident,  and  this  morning 
had  not  even  inquired  their  intended  course. 

I  travelled  many  hours,  following  the  hol 
lows  and  beating  up  the  tall  grass,  in  hopes 
of  starting  a  deer ;  but  with  the  exception  of 
a  few  grouse,  I  met  with  nothing.  I  had  con 
tinued  thus  unsuccessful  until  afternoon,  and 
was  sauntering  along  a  high  ridge,  looking 
round  for  some  trace  of  the  party,  when  sud 
denly  turning  my  head,  I  caught  sight  of  a 
number  of  animals  walking  slowly  along  the 
top  of  a  ridge.  At  first  I  was  surprised,  for  I 
mistook  them  for  a  train  of  pack-horses  ;  but 
the  next  moment  undeceived  me,  and  I  dis 
covered  that  I  had  come  unaware  upon  a  herd 
of  elk.  There  were  about  a  dozen  of  them. 

They  were  as  quick-sighted  as  myself,  for  as 
soon  as  my  eye  rested  upon  them  they  also  de 
tected  me.  They  halted  and  snuffed  the  air,  but 


276  Elk  Chase. 

I  was  too  far  off  to  taint  it.  So  they  turned  away 
and  slowly  loitered  on.  I  immediately  made  for 
a  thicket  of  brushwood,  and  beneath  this  shelter 
made  my  way  towards  them.  I  had  not  gone  far, 
however,  when,  upon  rounding  a  small  point 
of  bushes,  I  came  unexpectedly  upon  another 
herd.  There  must  have  been  more  than  a  hun 
dred  in  it.  Many  were  lying  upon  the  ground  ; 
some  were  gambolling  and  frisking;  two  or 
three  were  butting  each  other  with  their  horns  ; 
and  several  wary  old  fellows  were  mounting 
guard  as  sentinels.  I  was  within  a  hundred 
yards  of  them,  so  I  fired  at  a  full-grown  buck. 
The  bullet  struck  one  of  his  forelegs,  and  he 
stumbled  forward.  In  an  instant  the  whole 
herd  were  on  their  feet,  and  huddling  together 
like  frightened  sheep,  fled  over  the  hills. 

I  sprang  from  my  hiding-place,  and  drawing 
my  knife,  ran  towards  the  wounded  animal ; 
but  before  I  could  reach  him,  he  gained  his 
feet  and  hobbled  off  at  a  rate  which  kept 
me  at  the  full  stretch  of  my  speed.  I  then 
stopped  to  reload  my  rifle,  and  followed,  ex 
pecting  every  moment  to  see  him  drop.  He 
led  me  a  long  chase,  over  hill  and  dale,  and 
across  runs  of  water,  until  I  gave  out,  and  seat 
ing  myself,  saw  him  hobble  out  of  sight. 


Night  Camp.  277 

It  was  now  time  to  look  out  for  the  party, 
a  thing  which  I  had  totally  forgotten  in  the 
heat  of  the  chase  ;  nor  had  I  taken  any  note 
of  the  course  I  was  pursuing,  so  that  when  my 
race  was  ended  I  was  completely  bewildered. 
I  was  within  a  short  distance  of  a  well-wooded 
stream,  and  I  suspected  that  the  party  would 
encamp  somewhere  upon  its  banks.  I  knew, 
too,  that  they  must  be  westward  of  me,  so  I 
followed  the  course  of  the  river. 

I  travelled  till  sunset,  examining  every  ridge 
in  the  prairie,  every  bend  in  the  thicket,  but 
there  was  no  human  being  to  be  seen,  nor  a 
trail  nor  footprint  on  the  burnt  sod,  except 
the  hoof-marks  where  the  herd  of  elk  had 
passed. 

I  clambered  to  the  top  of  a  high-peaked  hill 
which  overlooked  the  prairie  for  miles,  but  all 
was  deserted.  I  determined  then  to  encamp 
for  the  night  in  a  neighboring  grove,  and 
in  the  morning  to  renew  my  search  ;  at  the 
same  time  resolving,  like  most  persons  who 
are  in  trouble,  that  if  I  got  safely  out  of 
this  scrape,  I  would  take  better  care  when 
next  I  hunted  alone.  I  went  down  into 
the  woods  and  built  a  fire.  The  night  was  cold 
and  bleak. 


278  Night  Camp. 

There  was  no  grass  to  make  a  bed ;  the 
wolves  howled  incessantly,  and  to  judge  from 
their  snarling  and  yelping  at  the  foot  of  a  tree 
a  little  distance  off,  I  imagined  that  they  had 
pursued  some  animal  which  had  taken  refuge 
in  its  branches.  The  night  passed  away  drear 
ily,  and  with  a  joyous  feeling  I  once  more  saw 
the  east  streaked  with  the  light  of  dawn. 

Before  the  day  had  fairly  broken  I  left  the 
grove,  and  pursued  my  course  to  the  westward, 
until  I  again  came  to  the  ridge  in  the  prairie. 

This  I  ascended,  and  looked  in  every  direc 
tion,  but  could  see  nothing. 

I  raised  my  voice  and  gave  an  Indian  hunt 
ing  whoop,  which  might  have  been  heard  for 
a  mile. 

The  woods  echoed  it,  but  there  was  no  other 
answer.  I  wished  to  discharge  my  rifle,  in 
hopes  that  it  might  reach  the  ears  of  the  party, 
but  I  only  had  a  single  charge  of  powder  left 
in  my  horn,  and  if  I  should  be  obliged  to  jour 
ney  to  the  settlements  alone,  I  thought  that 
this  would  be  too  precious  to  be  wasted.  So 
in  silence  and  with  drooping  spirits  I  contin 
ued  my  journey  along  the  line  of  timber.  The 
sun  rose  and  gradually  ascended  in  the  heavens. 


Night  Camp.  279 

A  vague  doubt  began  to  steal  across  my 
mind  that  I  had  perhaps  crossed  the  trail  in 
the  obscurity  of  the  morning  twilight,  for 
I  was  now  much  farther  to  the  west  than  I 
thought  it  possible  the  party  could  have  gone. 
About  a  mile  in  front  of  me  a  long  arm  of  tim 
ber  jutted  out  into  the  prairie.  I  made  for  it, 
determining  if  I  did  not  then  come  upon  their 
trail,  that  I  would  retrace  my  steps  and  care 
fully  examine  that  portion  which  I  had  crossed 
before  daybreak. 

I  reached  the  timber,  but  saw  no  track.  I 
again  whooped,  but,  as  before,  the  echoing 
forests  alone  answered  me ;  and  with  a  sensa 
tion  of  utter  loneliness  I  turned  round  and  re 
traced  my  steps. 

It  was  near  mid-day  when  I  reached  my  last 
encamping  place.  I  had  carefully  noted  every 
mark  upon  the  black  sod  ;  I  saw  my  own  foot 
prints  where  I  had  struck  out  into  the  prairie 
in  the  morning,  but  nothing  else.  I  then  kept 
on  for  an  hour  longer,  but  my  mind  was  con 
stantly  vacillating — whether  to  follow  my  own 
footprints  until  they  guided  me  to  the  camp 
ing  ground  where  I  had  left  the  party  on  the 
day  previous,  or  to  keep  on  to  the  eastward 


280  Hill  of  Bones. 

until  I  should  reach  the  Missouri,  or  once  more 
to  return  over  the  ground  which  I  had  just 
passed. 

I  remember  well  the  spot  where  I  paused  to 
settle  my  purpose.  It  was  a  high  swell,  which 
commanded  a  view  over  miles  of  prairie,  and 
even  overlooked  the  top  of  the  lofty  trees  in 
the  thicket.  It  was  strewed  with  bones.  For 
several  hundred  yards  the  whole  hill  was 
literally  covered  with  them.  It  looked  like 
some  deserted  charnel ;  and  I  recollect,  even 
in  the  midst  of  my  perplexity,  taking  up  one 
and  examining  it — wondering  whether  it  be 
longed  to  man  or  beast.  The  place  might 
have  been  the  scene  of  a  battle,  for  the  bones 
were  so  small  that  they  could  scarcely  be  those 
of  animals. 

There  were  no  skulls,  either  of  man  or 
brutes,  to  solve  the  mystery;  and  even  the 
bones  were  covered  with  a  greenish  mould, 
from  many  years'  exposure. 

After  some  consideration  I  resolved  to  re 
trace  my  steps,  and  accordingly  turned  down 
the  hill  and  once  more  proceeded  on  my 
journey.  I  now  was  growing  hungry,  and 
for  once  felt  the  miseries  of  a  keen  appetite. 


Raccoon — Indian.  281 

In  the  midst  of  these  cogitations  I  caught 
sight  of  a  raccoon,  who  was  reconnoitring  me 
from  behind  the  stump  of  a  tree ;  I  shot  him 
and  skinned  him,  and,  kindling  a  fire,  cooked 
part  of  him  on  the  spot. 

The  cinders  from  my  fire  caught  in  a  small 
patch  of  dry  grass  which  had  escaped  the 
general  burning  of  the  prairie,  and  in  a  mo 
ment  it  was  in  a  blaze,  filling  the  air  with  a 
cloud  of  black  smoke.  When  I  finished  my 
meal  I  slung  the  residue  of  my  prize  upon  my 
back  and  struck  out  into  the  prairie.  I  had 
scarcely  done  so  before  I  caught  sight  of  an 
Indian  standing  upon  the  top  of  a  ridge  at 
some  distance.  In  a  moment  after  he  per 
ceived  me  and  waved  his  blanket  over  his  head 
to  attract  my  attention.  I  raised  the  Otoe 
hunting-whoop,  and  his  shout,  faint  from  the 
distance,  answered  me.  I  then  started  for  the 
hill,  and  the  Indian,  seating  himself,  waited 
till  I  came  up. 

He  was  one  of  the  Otoes  who  accompanied 
us. 

His  Indian  name  was  Chay-je-ga,  roo-garah, 
which,  when  translated,  signifies  "  the  man  that 
drags  his  heels."  It  was  given  him  on  account 


282  Return  to  Party. 

of  a  shuffling  gait  which  it  was  said  that  he 
possessed,  but  which  I  could  never  discover. 

We  started  together,  and  about  a  mile  be 
yond  the  arm  of  timber  where  I  had  turned 
back  in  the  morning  we  came  upon  the  trail 
of  the  party. 

Night  closed  in  upon  us  long  before  we 
reached  their  camping  ground.  I  was  nearly 
exhausted  ;  the  light  raccoon  which  I  carried 
upon  my  back  seemed  to  grow  almost  as 
heavy  as  a  deer.  My  thirst  grew  intense  ;  I 
stopped  to  drink  at  every  pool,  and  kept  con 
stantly  breaking  off  the  tops  of  the  rosin  weed 
and  chewing  its  pitchy  sap  to  keep  my  mouth 
moist. 

Still  the  Indian  kept  on  with  unwearied 
steps,  sometimes  pausing  to  listen  as  a  cry 
sounded  through  the  night  air,  or  turning  to 
point  out  the  light  of  a  prairie  on  fire  at  a 
distance. 

He  did  not  slacken  his  pace  until,  with  a 
deep  "  Ugh  !  "  he  pointed  out  to  me  the  night- 
fires  of  our  party,  glimmering  in  a  thick  grove 
on  the  borders  of  a  brawling  stream. 

A  loud  shout,  followed  by  a  genuine  Indian 
yell,  burst  from  the  lips  of  the  Doctor  when  he 


Wild  Horse.  283 

first  caught  sight  of  me.  This  was  followed 
by  a  hearty  shake  of  the  hand  and  warm  con 
gratulations  from  the  Commissioner  and  the 
whole  party. 

I  was  afterwards  informed  that  the  Indian 
who  discovered  me,  had  crossed  my  track  on 
the  day  previous,  and  upon  being  told  that  I 
had  not  made  my  appearance,  he  had  been  in 
duced,  by  the  promise  of  a  blanket,  to  set  out 
in  search  of  me. 

I  had  not  been  seated  long  before  our  fire 
when  the  Wild  Horse,  dressed  in  a  pair  of 
white  corduroy  pantaloons,  with  the  rest  of  his 
body  naked,  came  stalking  up  to  shake  hands 
with  me. 

His  object  evidently  was  to  display  this  new 
article  of  dress,  which  had  been  presented  to 
him  by  the  Doctor.  Although  highly  delighted, 
he  walked  in  them  as  if  in  fetters  ;  for  although 
the  Doctor  had  a  rotundity  of  abdomen  which 
completely  outmeasured  that  of  the  Indian, 
yet  the  other  far  exceeded  him  in  the  size  and 
length  of  his  lower  extremities ;  and  the  gar 
ment  clung  so  tightly  to  his  legs,  that  at  a  little 
distance  he  had  the  appearance  of  having  been 
whitewashed.  He  kept  about  us  during  the 


284  Wild  Horse. 

whole  evening.  I  imagine,  however,  that  in 
this  short  space  of  time  he  grew  completely 
tired  of  his  new  garb ;  for  the  next  morning  I 
saw  his  son  scampering  through  the  bushes, 
dressed  in  the  same  pair  of  breeches — though 
they  were  as  much  too  large  for  him,  as  they 
were  too  small  for  his  father.  He,  too,  soon 
wearied  of  them  ;  and  after  having  once  or 
twice  tripped  up  his  own  heels  in  wearing 
them,  he  abandoned  them  to  the  wife  of  the 
Wild  Horse,  who,  I  believe,  from  that  period 
"wore  the  breeches." 


CHAPTER  XXXVI. 
The  False  Alarm. 

THE  prairie  had  been  burnt,  and  one 
morning  our  train  slowly  ascended  one 
of  the  black,  undulating  hills  which  traverse 
the  whole  face  of  the  country. 

At  our  feet  lay  a  great  plain,  intersected  by 
a  waving  thread  of  woodland,  which  extended 
for  many  miles,  and  was  now  tinted  with  the 
bright  and  variegated  hues  of  autumn. 

By  this  time  we  had  become  quite  familiar 
with  our  Indian  associates;  and  although  the 
Otoes  and  Pawnees  made  separate  camps  at 
night,  they  associated  with  each  other  on  the 
journey. 

As  we  reached  the  top  of  this  hill,  and  were 
waiting  to  see  what  course  the  lotan  who  was 
our  guide  would  take  next,  a  loud  cry  burst 
from  a  Pawnee,  who  pointed  to  the  woods  and 
yelled  out  "  Kansas  !  Kansas  !  " 

A  deep  guttural  "Ugh!"  burst  from  every 
285 


286  The  False  Alarm. 

chest,  as  they  turned  towards  the  Indian.  He 
was  standing  a  little  in  advance  of  the  party, 
his  slender  but  muscular  frame  bent  slightly 
forward,  and  his  ringer  pointing  to  the  woods. 

At  the  foot  of  the  hill,  at  the  distance  of 
about  five  hundred  yards,  a  small  band  of  In 
dians  was  emerging  from  among  the  trees, 
their  white  blankets  and  glittering  gun-barrels 
contrasting  strongly  with  the  dusky  forms  and 
savage  weapons  of  our  Pawnee  companions. 
For  a  moment  there  was  silence,  and  then 
arose  a  wild  shout  from  the  Pawnees,  while  the 
hated  name  of  "  Kansas  !  Kansas !  Kansas !  " 
burst  from  every  lip. 

The  little  band  in  the  glen,  sending  up  an 
answering  shout  replete  with  defiance,  snatched 
their  rifles  from  their  shoulders  and  prepared 
for  the  encounter. 

Just  then  a  loud  whoop  was  heard,  and  the 
Wild  Horse  came  rushing  up  the  hill.  His 
long  hair  streamed  in  the  wind.  In  his  hand 
he  grasped  his  bow  and  about  a  dozen  arrows. 
He  had  heard  the  war  cry  of  the  Kansas,  and 
had  snuffed  a  fight  in  the  wind  with  the  keen 
relish  of  a  veteran  warrior. 

He  uttered  a  wild,  exulting  laugh,  and  shak- 


The  False  Alarm.  287 

ing  his  war-club  with  a  fierce  motion  towards 
the  distant  foes,  he  waved  his  men  onward. 

But  above  the  din  rose  the  voice  of  the 
lotan  chief,  calling  away  his  band  of  Otoes, 
and  summoning  them  to  a  neighboring  hill. 
He  was  at  peace  with  the  Kansas,  and  had 
nothing  to  do  in  the  present  strife,  and  he 
cared  not  which  gained  the  day. 

At  a  short  distance  stood  the  Long  Hair. 
His  robe  was  thrown  over  his  left  arm,  while 
his  right,  grasping  his  bow,  waved  his  men 
forward. 

There  was  no  order  of  battle ;  each  rushed 
forward  as  he  thought  best.  Their  adversaries 
displayed  equal  alacrity.  A  fierce  shout  had 
answered  the  war  cry  of  the  Pawnees  ;  then  all 
was  silent ;  they  .waited  the  coming  of  their 
foes,  prepared  to  give  cold  lead  in  answer  to 
arrows.  As  they  advanced  they  separated, 
and  extended  their  front  to  prevent  their 
being  outflanked. 

They  had  now  came  within  about  two  hun 
dred  yards  of  each  other,  when  the  Pawnees 
seemed  to  hesitate. 

They  stopped,  and  gazed  steadily  at  their 
approaching  enemies ;  then  they  collected  in 


288  The  False  Alarm. 

groups,  and  seemed  to  consult.  Even  the 
Wild  Horse  dropped  his  war-club  and  leaned 
upon  his  bow.  And  the  Long  Hair,  swinging 
back  his  quiver,  folded  his  arms,  and  watched 
the  approach  of  the  opposite  band. 

A  grim  smile  had  curled  the  lip  of  the  old 
lotan  chief  when  he  beheld  the  hesitation  in 
the  Pawnee  ranks.  For,  like  the  chiefs  of  most 
of  the  neighboring  tribes,  though  he  feared 
the  immense  hordes  which  belonged  to  that 
nation,  yet  he  most  heartily  despised  every 
individual  of  the  four  villages.  There  was 
an  apparent  acknowledgment  of  inferiority, 
in  this  numerous  band  thus  hesitating  to  at 
tack  the  handful  who  challenged  them  to  the 
conflict,  which  pleased  the  veteran  chief ;  for  in 
war  his  own  nation  and  the  Kansas  had  always 
been  looked  upon  as  equals. 

In  a  moment,  however,  a  like  hesitation  was 
observed  in  the  ranks  of  the  foe.  They  shoul 
dered  their  rifles,  and  moved  frankly  forward  to 

meet  the  Pawnees. 

• 

The  lotan  was  perplexed.  He  held  his  hand 
over  his  eyes  to  penetrate  the  mystery. 

Suddenly  a  new  light  seemed  to  flash  upon 
him.  Waving  his  hand  in  the  air,  he  shouted 


The  False  Alarm.  289 

the  name  of  his  own  tribe,  and  rushed  down 
the  hill,  followed  by  his  band.  It  was  a  band 
of  Otoes,  not  of  Kansas,  and  the  recognition 
which  had  fortunately  taken  place  had  pre 
vented  the  effusion  of  blood  which  otherwise 
would  have  followed. 

The  lotan  conversed  a  short  time  with  a  tall, 
thin  Indian,  who  appeared  to  have  command 
of  the  hunting  party,  and  after  leaving  with 
him  a  worn-out  horse  which  he  had  brought 
from  the  Pawnee  village,  resumed  his  journey, 
in  which  he  was  followed  by  the  whites  and 
the  long  train  of  disappointed  Pawnees. 

For  a  short  time  the  new-comers  watched 
the  movements  of  our  party,  then  turning  off 
they  crossed  the  prairie  and  disappeared  in  a 
piece  of  forest. 


CHAPTER  XXXVII. 

Elk  Chase — Indian  Sagacity — Indian  Camp. 

ON  the  following  day  we  were  traversing 
a  valley  between  two  black  prairie  hills, 
when  the  crack  of  a  rifle  sounded  from  a  distant 
hollow,  and  was  followed  by  a  loud  shout. 
The  Indians  stopped  short,  and  listened,  but 
the  shout  was  not  repeated.  At  length  a 
young  Pawnee,  impatient,  sprang  upon  a  horse 
and  galloped  over  the  hill  from  beyond  which 
the  shout  had  come.  As  he  disappeared,  a 
second  cry  was  heard.  After  the  lapse  of  a 
few  moments  came  another  loud  whoop  from 
the  same  quarter,  and  suddenly  a  powerful  buck 
elk,  with  branching  antlers,  and  enormous  tines, 
dashed  with  mad  leaps  to  the  summit  of  the 
hill.  He  stopped  short  at  the  sight  of  us. 
He  was  wounded,  and  the  young  Pawnee  was 
in  chase.  Casting  a  quick  glance  at  his  pur- 
surer,  he  bounded  along  the  ridge,  but  the 
wound  lessened  his  speed.  The  Pawnee  plied 
290 


Indian  Sagacity.  291 

his  lash.  The  burnt  prairie  was  covered  with 
ashes,  and  the  hoofs  of  the  galloping  horse 
raised  a  cloud  of  it  around  the  Indian,  who  un 
mindful  of  it  followed  in  sharp  pursuit,  his  long 
hair  streaming  in  the  wind,  and  his  heavy  robe 
which  had  fallen  from  his  shoulders  flaunting 
from  behind  him  as  he  rode. 

Our  troop  stopped  to  watch  the  result. 

The  Pawnees  in  particular  were  anxious  that 
their  hunter  should  acquit  himself  well  in  the 
presence  of  strangers. 

The  Otoes  lost  their  usual  cold  demeanor, 
in  the  interest  of  the  chase,  and  the  hunter 
who  had  wounded  the  elk,  and  had  given  the 
first  whoop,  now  stood  npon  the  top  of  the 
hill,  leaning  upon  the  muzzle  of  his  rifle,  watch 
ing  the  success  of  his  ally. 

The  elk  reached  the  end  of  the  ridge,  and 
sprang  down  a  declivity  beyond.  The  Pawnee 
horseman  followed.  The  next  minute  the  elk 
bounded  along  an  opposite  ridge,  with  his 
pursuer  about  fifty  yards  in  the  rear.  Here  the 
chase  was  again  in  full  sight,  and  continued 
so  for  a  few  moments.  The  elk,  growing 
weaker  and  weaker,  came  to  the  end  of  a  ridge 
the  descent  from  which  was  craggy  and  almost 


292  Indian  Sagacity. 

perpendicular.  He  paused  on  the  brink, 
looked  down  the  steep,  cast  a  glance  behind, 
then  gathering  his  feet  made  a  desperate  leap 
down  the  chasm,  and  the  next  moment  scram 
bled  to  the  top  of  an  opposite  ridge.  The 
Pawnee  reached  the  craggy  bank  and  looked 
down  the  steep  ;  he  half  urged  forward  his 
horse,  then  reined  him  in,  and  turning  back 
slowly  rejoined  the  party.  As  he  was  leaving 
the  hill-top  he  looked  around  for  the  elk,  but 
he  had  disappeared  altogether. 

The  pursuit  being  ended,  the  Pawnees  folded 
their  robes  around  them,  the  Otoes  shouldered 
their  guns,  and  the  whole  party  resumed  its 
journey. 

In  company  with  Hah-che-kah-sug-hah  I  left 
the  party  and  commenced  a  hunt  over  another 
prairie. 

We  were  overtaken  by  a  young  Otoe,  called 
"  The  Buffalo  Chief,"  who  was  armed  with  a 
rifle,  and  was  a  keen  and  generally  successful 
hunter. 

Several  Pawnees  also  came  loitering  up  in  the 
wake  of  the  hunters,  in  hopes  of  obtaining  a 
portion  of  what  is  killed. 

We  directed  our  course  towards  a  skirt  of 


Indian  Sagacity.  293 

forest,  fringed  with  a  brushwood.  Here  we 
thought  that  we  might  find  game,  but  the 
night  closed  in,  and  still  we  were  empty- 
handed.  So  we  were  obliged  to  set  out  for  our 
camp.  The  Indians  travelled  with  unwearied 
steps,  and  I  was  obliged  to  hurry  swiftly  on, 
lest  I  should  lose  sight  of  them.  They  pushed 
forward  in  the  dark  as  if  guided  by  instinct. 

"  Ugh  !  "  ejaculated  Hah-che-kah-sug-hah, 
stopping  short  and  examining  some  object 
upon  the  black  sod. 

"  Ugh  !  ugh  !  ugh !  "  burst  from  several  of 
the  Pawnees,  as  they  gathered  round  him,  and 
stooped  to  examine  it  more  closely.  I  joined 
them,  but  could  see  nothing.  The  Indian 
pointed  to  the  ground,  and  after  much  diffi 
culty  I  descried  the  faint  impression  of  a 
moccasin  in  the  ashes,  though  it  would  have 
escaped  any  eye  except  that  of  an  Indian. 

A  few  words  passed  between  the  Otoes,  and 
turning  off  they  followed  steadily  upon  the  un 
known  track,  and  I  followed  them.  They  ap 
peared  to  trace  it  without  difficulty,  though  to 
me  it  was  totally  invisible. 

In  about  ten  minutes  there  was  another 
exclamation  from  the  Indians,  and  a  broad 


294  Indian  Sagacity. 

gray  line,  traced  across  the  black  prairie,  and 
visible  even  in  the  darkness,  announced  that 
we  had  at  length  come  upon  the  trail  of  our 
party. 

This  the  Indians  followed  until  we  came  to 
the  top  of  a  hill,  from  which  we  perceived,  in  a 
hollow  below,  the  dark  line  of  a  forest,  and  the 
blaze  of  fires  glimmering  and  flickering  among 
the  trees  assured  us  that  we  had  at  last  reached 
our  camp,  nestled  in  a  large  grove.  Within  a 
few  hundred  yards  of  it,  the  Nemahaw  River 
brawled  over  a  stony  bottom,  with  wild  and 
not  unpleasing  murmurings. 

The  Indians  had  distributed  themselves 
about  the  open  woodland  in  groups  of  five 
or  six. 

Each  group  had  its  own  night-fire  and  a 
rough  shed  of  boughs  to  protect  it  from  the 
dew.  In  the  centre  of  the  grove,  and  strongly 
reflecting  the  light  of  the  fire,  stood  the  can 
vas  tents  of  the  whites,  and  reposing  before  a 
pile  of  blazing  logs  were  the  uncouth  forms 
of  the  soldiers,  their  appearance  at  present 
being  little  less  wild  than  that  of  the  In 
dians.  At  one  end  of  the  heavy  logs  was 
stretched  the  demi-savage,  half-breed  interpre- 


Indian  Sagacity.  295 

ter,  reposing  after  the  labors  of  the  day,  and 
gazing  sleepily  upon  the  fire. 

One  or  two  Otoes  were  mingled  with  the 
whites ;  but  the  rest  of  the  trusty  band,  with 
the  old  lotan  as  master  of  ceremonies,  were 
collected  round  a  large  fire,  which  burnt 
brightly  at  a  few  yards'  distance.  The  lotan's 
wife  was  reclining  upon  a  pile  of  dried  grass, 
beneath  a  canopy  of  green  boughs,  which  had 
been  formed  for  her  by  the  young  men  of  the 
party.  Notwithstanding  the  assurance  of  the 
Doctor  that  she  was  recovering,  she  persisted 
in  remaining  an  invalid  ;  for  as  long  as  she 
travelled  in  this  character,  the  soft  heart  of  the 
soldier  who  drove  the  wagon  prevented  his 
refusing  her  a  seat  in  the  vehicle,  and  the 
fiery  old  lotan  insisted  that  the  young  Indians 
should  perform  her  share  of  the  drudgery. 

There  was  something  very  noble  and  striking 
about  this  little  band  of  Otoes — very  different 
from  their  wild  and  uncouth  allies  the  Pawnees. 

They  were  very  particular  as  to  their  appear 
ance  ;  and  there  was  a  frank,  gallant  bearing 
about  them  which  caused  us,  almost  uncon 
sciously,  to  place  more  confidence  in  them 
than  in  their  fierce,  untamed  associates. 


296  Indian  Sagacity. 

Behind  them,  resting  against  the  trees,  were 
their  rifles,  glittering  beneath  the  blaze  of  the 
fire.  Around  in  every  direction  were  the  rough 
wicker  sheds  of  the  Pawnees,  their  fires  gleam 
ing  with  an  uncertain,  lurid  light,  among  the 
tall,  straight  trunks  of  the  overhanging  grove. 

The  Indians,  in  their  shaggy  robes,  were  flit 
ting  to  and  fro,  their  painted  faces  glaring  in 
the  firelight.  Some,  wrapped  in  their  robes, 
sat  silent,  with  their  eyes  fixed  on  the  fire. 

At  length,  one  young  fellow  struck  up  a  wild 
song,  which  made  the  woods  echo. 

Another  joined  in,  and  another,  until  the 
whole  of  the  group  around  that  fire  were  singing. 

Then  a  single  voice  from  a  distant  pile 
struck  in ;  another  followed.  Then  another 
group  gave  tongue,  until  every  throat  in  the 
Pawnee  troop  had  joined  in  the  chorus.  It 
was  a  song  of  war,  and  well  did  the  gestures 
and  tones  of  the  singers  express  the  meaning 
of  the  words. 

In  parts,  the  blended  voices  swelled  upon 
the  night  air  with  a  mournful  sound ;  but, 
when  the  howl  with  which  they  ended  every 
verse  burst  from  the  throats  of  the  whole 
band,  it  was  thrilling  and  fearful. 


Indian  Sagacity.  297 

The  Otoes  caught  the  wild  enthusiasm  of 
the  moment,  and  they,  too,  added  their  voices 
to  the  savage  concert,  until  it  almost  seemed 
to  rend  the  black  canopy  above  us. 

The  song  did  not  cease  till  after  midnight, 
for  long  after  we  had  retired  to  our  tents  it 
kept  us  awake,  and  when  we  at  last  fell  asleep 
it  mingled  in  the  phantasmagoria  of  our  dreams. 

The  next  morning  was  bright,  and  we  pre 
pared  for  an  early  start. 

In  our  cavalcade  was  a  very  small  donkey, 
who  usually  carried  our  sugar  in  two  bags 
strapped  across  his  back. 

We  all  looked  upon  this  sugar  as  a  very  im 
portant  accessory  to  our  coffee,  an  opinion 
which  was  fully  concurred  in  by  the  Indians, 
who  were  fond  of  coffee  when  well  sweetened, 
but  not  otherwise. 

For  this  reason,  the  donkey  and  his  load 
were  objects  of  especial  care. 

But,  unfortunately,  one  day,  in  crossing  a 
brook,  his  feet  stuck  fast  in  the  mud,  and  in 
his  efforts  to  extricate  himself  he  toppled 
over  and  went  under  water,  carrying  the  sugar 
with  him. 

He  was  extricated  by  a  gigantic  soldier,  who, 


298  Indian  Sagacity. 

with  the  aid  of  a  Pawnee,  lifted  him  out — one 
by  the  ears,  and  the  other  by  the  tail ;  but  the 
sugar  was  spoiled. 

Fortunately  we  had  come  within  the  region 
of  bee-trees,  and  the  soldiers  had  brought  into 
the  camp  several  kettles  full  of  honey. 

This  we  contrived  to  use  as  a  substitute  for 
sugar. 

We  all  decided  that  the  substitute  was  a  very 
poor  one,  but,  under  the  circumstances,  better 
than  nothing. 

It  was  quite  a  novelty  to  the  Pawnee  Indians, 
few  of  whom  held  ever  tasted  it,  and  were  very 
anxious  to  know  where  it  came  from  and  how 
we  found  it. 

The  soldiers,  who  were  in  the  habit  of  hunt- 
ing  for  it,  told  them  how  to  discover  it,  and 
they  were  now  always  on  the  look-out  for  it. 

A  few  days  afterwards,  two  young  Indians 
came  to  a  soldier  to  borrow  his  axe.  They 
were  very  mysterious  in  their  communications, 
but  enough  leaked  out  to  let  the  soldier  know 
that  they  had  discovered  a  bee-tree,  and  wanted 
his  axe  to  aid  them  in  getting  the  honey.  He 
offered  his  assistance,  but  it  was  declined,  so 
he  lent  them  the  axe,  and  off  they  went. 


Indian  Sagacity.  299 

In  about  two  hours  they  returned,  with 
swelled  faces  and  eyes  nearly  closed  from 
stings,  war-worn,  but  triumphant.  They  had 
found  the  tree,  vanquished  the  insects,  and 
captured  their  comb ;  but  there  was  no  honey 
in  it.  Instead  of  a  beehive,  they  had  attacked 
and  carried  off  a  hornet's  nest,  after  a  bitter 

fight.* 

*  We  were  told  that  honey  bees  were  not  found  far  in  the 
the  interior,  but  that  they  kept  about  fifty  or  a  hundred  miles 
in  advance  of  the  white  settlements. 


CHAPTER  XXXVIII. 

Separation  from   Party  —  Burning  Prairie  — 
Wolves — Journey. 

IT  was  scarcely  sunrise  before  the  grove 
echoed  with  preparations  for  departure. 

Joe  was  hailing  the  mules,  which  had  strayed 
some  distance  down  the  bottom.  The  soldiers 
loaded  the  pack-horses ;  the  Pawnees  collected 
together  their  scanty  stock  of  cooking  utensils, 
and  packed  them  upon  the  nag,  whose  evil  fate 
had  made  him  an  Indian  drudge-horse ;  the 
lotan  saw  his  wife  snugly  tucked  in  one  of  the 
dearborn  wagons,  and  stationed  himself  as 
guide  at  the  edge  of  the  woods,  waiting  for  us 
to  come  up. 

It  was  a  cold  day,  with  a  clear  and  cloudless 
sky,  but  the  wind  swept  in  sudden  gusts  through 
the  trees. 

In  a  short  time  the  party  wound  their  way 
out  of  the  grove,  and  struck  across  the  prairie 
in  the  direction  taken  by  the  lotan.  He  had 
300 


Separation  from  Party.  301 

been  a  bold  marauder  in  his  youth  and  knew 
every  hole  and  corner  of  the  country  around. 

When  standing  upon  some  high  bluff,  he 
would  point  out  to  his  young  warriors  the  dif 
ferent  scenes  of  his  exploits.  "  There,"  said 
he,  pointing  to  a  clump  of  forest,  "  there  have 
I  fought  the  Osages,  and  there,"  pointing  in 
another  direction,  "  have  I  stolen  horses  from 
the  same  nation.  There  is  not  a  grove  which 
I  have  not  camped  in,  nor  a  prairie  which  I 
have  not  crossed,  either  in  hunting  or  when 
on  the  war-path." 

He  loved  in  his  old  age  to  dwell  upon  the 
deeds  of  his  youth,  and  when  narrating  them 
his  faded  features  would  light  up,  and  his  eye 
would  flash,  "  for  then,"  said  he,  "  my  arm  was 
heavy  and  my  limbs  were  strong."  Yet  it 
seemed  to  me  they  could  not  have  been  much 
heavier  or  stronger,  unless  they  had  been  iron 
itself.  Nor  could  I  see  that  age  had  impaired 
his  vigor ;  for,  in  traversing  hills  and  ravines, 
forests  and  streams,  I  never  knew  his  step  to 
flag  or  falter. 

After  following  him  for  a  short  time  I 
turned  off,  in  company  with  a  strapping  soldier 
named  McClanahan,  to  search  for  wild  turkeys, 


302  Separation  from  Party. 

which  are  abundant  in  the  forests  skirting  the 
Nemahaw.  We  traversed  several  glades  in 
the  woods ;  but  although  we  saw  several  we  were 
unable  to  get  a  shot  at  them. 

In  beating  up  the  forest  we  separated,  and  I 
soon  lost  sight  of  my  companion ;  though  for 
nearly  an  hour  I  occasionally  heard  the  report 
of  his  rifle,  sometimes  near  and  sometimes  far 
off. 

Gradually  each  discharge  appeared  to  be 
more  distant,  and  at  length  they  ceased  alto 
gether. 

I  kept  on  after  the  turkeys  without  killing 
any. 

Several  hours  had  passed  in  this  way.  I  had 
traversed  many  miles,  when  the  height  of  the 
sun  warned  me  that  it  was  near  mid-day,  and 
time  to  think  of  rejoining  my  companions. 

Leaving  the  woods  I  took  to  the  prairie,  and 
sought  the  trail  of  the  party,  examining  every 
hill  and  hollow,  in  hopes  of  finding  it ;  but  no 
trail  could  I  see.  As  the  day  waned,  I  increased 
my  speed,  but  still  without  success.  The 
prairie  was  deserted.  The  long  grass  waved 
before  the  blast,  but  not  a  living  thing  met  my 
eye.  I  then  feared  that  I  might  have  crossed 


Separation  from  Party.  303 

the  trail  without  noticing  it ;  but  the  more  I 
thought  of  it,  the  more  impossible  did  it  seem 
that  the  broad  track  of  so  numerous  a  body  of 
men  should  have  escaped  notice. 

I  ascended  a  ridge  which  commanded  a  wide 
prospect.  A  great  expanse  of  grass  was  before 
me,  with  rolling  hills  extending  in  every  direc 
tion  ;  but  there  was  nothing  to  be  seen  but  the 
sky  and  the  prairie.  It  was  time  to  seek  a 
resting-place  for  the  night.  I  looked  around 
for  some  tree,  but  not  one  was  in  sight.  Dead 
grass,  wild  weeds,  and  withered  stalks  were  the 
only  covering  of  the  hills. 

I  was  like  a  mariner  alone  in  the  midst  of  an 
ocean.  I  knew  not  which  way  to  turn.  If  I 
travelled  westward  I  might  be  approaching  my 
companions,  or  I  might  be  going  from  them  ; 
and  then,  too,  I  would  be  journeying  away 
from  the  settlements.  So  I  at  length  deter 
mined  to  take  an  easterly  course  until  I  reached 
the  Missouri,  which  I  intended  should  be  my 
guide  to  the  abodes  of  the  whites. 

With  a  quick  pace  I  pressed  forward,  anx 
ious  to  find  a  shelter  for  the  night.  It  was 
the  end  of  October ;  the  wind  was  keen  and 
I  was  clad  in  a  dress  of  drilling,  such  as  is  used 


304  Separation  from  Party. 

only  for  summer  wear.  Just  as  the  sun  was 
sinking  I  caught  sight  of  a  line  of  forest  at 
many  miles'  distance.  This  acted  like  a  spur 
upon  a  jaded  horse.  With  fresh  spirits  I 
bounded  down  the  sides  of  the  prairie  swells, 
and  forced  my  way  through  the  tall,  clogging 
grass.  But  at  last  the  sun  set,  and  as  the  twi 
light  darkened,  objects  grew  indistinct,  and  the 
forest,  which  could  not  have  been  more  than 
two  miles  off,  was  gradually  lost  in  the  obscu 
rity.  In  front  of  me  was  a  large  hill ;  I  ascend 
ed  it  to  wait  on  its  summit  until  the  moon  rose, 
for  I  feared  to  lose  my  course  in  the  darkness. 

A  feeling  of  very  desolation  came  over  me 
as  I  sat  there,  with  nothing  but  the  dreary 
waste  around  me  and  the  cold  sky  twinkling 
with  stars  above. 

The  wind  had  increased  to  a  gale,  and  swept 
howling  along,  occasionally  bearing  with  it  the 
yell  of  some  prowling  wolf.  For  hours  I  sat 
shivering,  with  my  eyes  fixed  upon  the  eastern 
horizon,  watching  eagerly  for  the  moon ;  and 
never  had  I  greeted  her  appearance  with  such 
heartfelt  pleasure  as  when  she  at  last  emerged 
to  view. 

I  resumed  my  journey,  and  after  toiling  for 


Separation  from  Party.  305 

an  hour  through  a  wide  bottom  of  tall  weeds 
and  matted  grass,  I  reached  the  grove,  erected 
a  small  shed  of  boughs  after  the  manner  of  the 
Indians,  and  with  a  flint  and  steel,  which  I  al 
ways  carried  in  my  shot  pouch,  I  soon  kindled 
a  fire  against  the  trunk  of  a  fallen  tree,  and  fell 
asleep. 

I  was  awakened  by  the  increased  violence  of 
the  gale.  At  times  it  sank  into  low  waitings, 
and  then  would  swell  again,  howling  and  whis 
tling  through  the  trees.  After  sitting  by  the 
fire  for  a  short  time,  I  again  threw  myself  upon 
my  pallet  of  dried  grass,  but  could  not  sleep. 
There  was  something  dismal  in  the  sound  of 
the  wind.  At  times  voices  seemed  echoing 
through  the  woodland.  It  was  in  vain  that  I 
closed  my  eyes ;  a  kind  of  superstitious  feeling 
came  over  me,  and  though  I  saw  nothing,  my 
ears  drank  in  every  sound.  I  gazed  around  in 
every  direction,  and  sat  with  my  hand  on  my 
gun-trigger,  for  my  feelings  were  so  wrought  up 
that  I  momentarily  expected  to  see  an  armed 
Indian  start  from  behind  each  bush.  At  last  I 
rose  up  and  sat  by  the  fire.  Suddenly  a  swift 
gust  swept  through  the  grove,  and  whirled  off 
sparks  and  cinders  in  every  direction.  In  a 


306  Burning  Prairie. 

few  moments  a  dozen  little  fires  shot  their 
forked  tongues  in  the  air. 

There  was  scarcely  time  to  note  their  birth 
before  they  were  creeping  up  in  a  tall,  tapering 
blaze,  and  leaping  along  the  tops  of  the  scat 
tering  clumps  of  dried  grass.  In  a  few  minutes 
they  had  spread  into  the  prairie,  and  a  waving 
line  of  flame  quivered  high  up  in  the  dark  air. 

Another  gust  came  rushing  along  the  ravine. 

It  was  announced  by  a  distant  roar;  a  cloud 
of  dry  leaves  filled  the  air;  the  slender  shrubs 
and  saplings  bent  like  weeds,  dry  branches 
snapped  and  cracked,  the  trees  writhed  and 
creaked.  The  next  instant  the  blast  reached 
the  flaming  prairie.  Myriads  and  myriads  of 
bright  embers  were  flung  up  in  the  air;  flakes 
of  blazing  grass  whirled  like  meteors  through 
the  sky. 

The  flame  spread  into  a  vast  sheet  that 
swept  over  the  prairie,  bending  forward,  illumin 
ing  the  black  waste  which  it  had  passed,  and 
shedding  a  red  light  far  down  the  deep  vistas 
of  the  forest,  though  all  beyond  the  blaze  was 
of  a  pitchy  blackness.  At  each  succeeding 
blast  the  flames  threw  long  pyramidal  streams 
upwards  in  the  black  sky,  then  flared  horizon- 


Burning  Prairie.  307 

tally,  and  seemed  to  bound  forward,  kindling  at 
each  bound  a  new  conflagration.  The  noise 
sounded  like  the  roar  of  a  stormy  ocean,  and 
the  wild,  tumultuous  billows  of  flame  were 
tossed  about  like  a  sea  of  fire.  Directly  in  their 
course,  and  some  distance  out  in  the  prairie, 
stood  a  large  grove  of  oaks,  the  dry  leaves  still 
clinging  to  the  branches.  There  was  a  red 
glare  thrown  upon  them  from  the  blazing  flood. 
A  moment  passed,  and  a  black  smoke  oozed 
from  the  nearest  trees  ;  the  blaze  roared  among 
their  branches,  and  shot  up  for  a  hundred  feet 
in  the  air.  The  effect  was  transient.  In  a 
moment  had  the  fire  swept  through  a  grove 
covering  several  acres.  It  sank  again  into  the 
prairie,  leaving  the  limbs  of  every  tree  scathed 
and  scorched  to  an  inky  blackness,  and  shining 
with  a  bright  crimson  light  between  their 
branches.  In  this  way  the  conflagration  swept 
over  the  prairies ;  every  hill  seemed  to  burn 
its  own  funeral  pyre,  and  the  flame  licked  up 
every  blade  in  the  hollows.  A  cloud  of  gray 
smoke,  filled  with  burning  embers,  hung  over 
the  flames,  occasionally  forming  not  ungraceful 
columns,  which  were  almost  instantly  shattered 
by  the  wind  and  driven  in  every  direction. 


308  Burning  Prairie. 

For  several  hours  the  blaze  continued,  until 
the  whole  horizon  became  girdled  with  a  belt 
of  fire.  As  the  circle  extended,  the  flames 
seemed  smaller  and  smaller,  until  they  looked 
like  a  slight  golden  thread  drawn  around  the 
hills. 

They  then  must  have  been  nearly  ten  miles 
distant.  At  length  the  blaze  disappeared, 
although  the  purple  light  that  for  hours  il 
lumined  the  night  sky,  told  that  the  element 
was  extending  into  other  regions  of  the  prai 
ries. 

It  was  sunrise  when  I  rose  from  my  resting- 
place  and  resumed  my  journey.  What  a 
change  !  All  was  desolate  and  black.  The 
grove,  which  at  sunset  was  covered  with  with 
ered  foliage,  now  spread  a  labyrinth  of  scorched 
and  naked  branches.  A  thin  covering  of  gray 
ashes  was  sprinkled  upon  the  ground  beneath 
it,  and  several  dead  trees,  whose  dried  branches 
had  caught  and  nourished  the  flame,  were  still 
blazing  or  sending  up  long  spires  of  smoke.  In 
every  direction,  barrenness  marked  the  track 
of  the  flames.  It  had  even  worked  its  course 
against  the  blast,  hugging  to  the  roots  of  the 
tall  grass. 


Wolves.  309 

The  wind  was  still  raging ;  cinders  and 
ashes  were  drifting  and  whirling  about  in  suf 
focating  clouds,  sometimes  rendering  it  impos 
sible  to  see  for  more  than  one  or  two  hundred 
yards. 

In  surveying  the  dreary  landscape,  I  caught 
sight  of  a  gray  wolf  stealing  down  one  of  the 
hollows.  He  was  the  only  living  thing  to  be 
seen.  He  saw  me,  but  he  did  not  fly.  He 
paused  as  he  reached  the  foot  of  the  hill. 
Here  he  uttered  a  low,  querulous  howl,  which 
was  answered  from  the  woods,  and  three 
others  emerged  from  the  timber  and  joined 
him. 

They  stood  for  a  few  moments  gazing,  but 
with  no  appearance  of  fear.  I  knew  that  there 
was  not  a  more  cowardly  beast  upon  the 
prairie  than  the  wolf.  I  felt  very  lonely ;  but 
even  amid  this  want  of  companionship,  I  had 
no  relish  for  that  of  wolves  ;  so  I  raised  my 
rifle  and  sent  a  bullet  among  them.  A  loud 
howl  answered  the  report.  I  do  not  know  that 
I  had  hit  any  of  them,  but  they  scampered  off. 

I  now  gave  up  as  hopeless  the  task  of  search 
ing  for  my  fellow-travellers ;  and  as  the  lotan 
had  mentioned  that  our  party  was  not  a  week's 


3 1  o  Journey. 

journey  from  the  settlements,  I  shouldered  my 
rifle,  and  with  the  aid  of  the  sun  to  guide  my 
course,  started  forward,  trusting  to  make  my 
way  to  the  abodes  of  white  man.  It  was  weary 
wandering.  Hill  succeeded  hill,  and  one  valley 
swept  off  into  another. 

The  faint  tracery  of  distant  trees  disappeared 
as  I  journeyed  onward,  and  soon  there  was 
nothing  to  be  seen  but  the  cold,  unspecked 
blue  of  the  sky,  and  the  boundless  black  of  the 
burnt  prairie. 


CHAPTER    XXXIX. 

A  Hunted  Deer — Deserted  Encampment — Dis 
tant  Indians — Night  Camp — Owls — Burning 
Sycamore. 

FOR  hours  I  continued  my  course,  pausing 
upon  the  summit  of  every  hill,  in  a  faint 
but  vain  hope  of  seeing  my  comrades.  At  last, 
at  a  distance  I  saw  a  deer  scouring  over  the  top 
of  a  ridge,  and  making  directly  towards  me.  I 
crouched  upon  the  burnt  sod,  cocked  my  rifle, 
and  waited  for  him. 

I  wondered  at  his  speed,  for  there  was  no 
hunter  in  sight ;  but  it  was  soon  explained. 
As  he  descended  into  a  hollow,  three  wolves 
followed  at  full  speed  over  the  hill.  The  deer 
soon  rose  out  of  the  bend,  and  kept  on  towards 
me.  Almost  without  breathing,  I  watched 
him.  I  had  eaten  nothing  since  the  morning 
of  the  preceding  day,  and  there  was  something 
of  ferocity  in  my  feelings  as  I  gazed  at  him.  I 
gathered  my  feet  under  me,  and  slowly  raised 
3" 


312  A  Hunted  Deer. 

my  rifle.  The  animal  still  approached.  I 
should  have  waited,  but  a  burning  feverishness 
rendered  me  impatient ;  and  while  he  was  at 
least  a  hundred  and  fifty  yards  distant,  I  rose 
and  took  aim.  He  stopped  short  and  gazed 
steadily  at  me,  with  his  head  raised  high  in  the 
air,  and  presenting  only  his  front.  I  pulled 
the  trigger  ;  the  bullet  did  him  no  injury.  He 
did  not  wait  for  a  second  shot,  but  darted  like 
an  arrow  across  the  prairie. 

I  watched  him  until  he  disappeared  behind 
a  distant  hill,  and  then  reloaded  my  rifle. 

This  incident,  which  for  an  instant  had 
diverted  the  current  of  my  thoughts,  now 
served  only  to  render  them  more  heavy. 

At  the  sound  of  my  rifle  the  wolves  had 
scampered  off  as  hastily  in  one  direction  as 
the  deer  had  done  in  the  other,  and  I  felt  a 
kind  of  selfish  satisfaction  in  knowing  that  if  I 
had  not  been  able  to  obtain  a  meal  from  his 
ribs  this  gang  of  vagabonds  was  equally  dis 
appointed. 

Once  more  I  proceeded,  directing  my  course 
by  the  sun.  I  had  hunted  much  on  foot,  and 
my  limbs  had  become  hardened  by  exercise, 
so  that  I  could  journey  long  without  sinking, 


Deserted  Encampment.  3 1 3 

though  not  without  feeling  fatigue.  It  was 
about  an  hour  after  mid-day  when  I  again 
came  in  sight  of  a  forest. 

There  was  a  golden  mark  upon  the  prairie 
where  the  blackness  stopped  abruptly  and 
pointed  out  the  spot  where  the  fire,  from  some 
cause  or  other,  had  ceased  in  this  direction. 
A  column  of  smoke,  however,  hanging  like  a 
sullen  pall  over  another  quarter,  showed  that 
the  element  was  still  at  work. 

Within  half  an  hour  I  struck  an  Indian  trail 
and  followed  it  into  a  grove  of  tall  and  beauti 
ful  hickories,  in  which  were  the  remains  of  an 
Indian  hunting-camp. 

It  had  been  evidently  occupied  for  some 
time,  for  the  frames  of  the  wigwams  were 
more  strong  and  durable  in  their  structure 
than  those  usually  erected  for  transient  pur 
poses. 

They  could  have  been  abandoned  but  lately, 
for  the  bark  was  still  green  on  the  boughs 
composing  them,  and  there  were  the  recent 
footprints  of  horses.  The  pea-vines  were 
trampled  down,  and  there  was  a  rock  jutting 
out  in  the  small  stream,  which  was  covered 
with  raccoon  fur,  and  here  and  there  besprinkled 


3 1 4  Deserted  Encampment. 

with  blood.  I  sat  down  upon  the  rock,  watched 
the  waters,  and  thought  of  the  former  occu 
pants  of  the  grove.  Had  I  been  a  day  sooner 
I  might  have  met  them  ;  but  then  they  might 
have  been  enemies.  So  I  began  to  think  that 
things  were  better  as  they  were,  for  even  the 
most  friendly  tribes  are  apt  to  lose  their  good 
will  towards  the  whites  when  a  single  one  falls 
into  their  power.  Desolate  as  I  was,  I  could 
not  but  be  sensible  of  the  beauty  of  the  grove. 
I  could  see  far  down  deep  vistas,  gilded  here 
and  there  by  the  sunbeams.  The  wind  had 
gradually  died  away.  The  stream  glided 
murmuring  over  a  rocky  bottom,  and  here 
and  there  glittered  like  silver.  The  wild  cry 
of  the  blue-jay  was  heard  hailing  some  comrade 
in  a  distant  tree-top. 

As  I  sat  looking  upon  the  water  I  heard  a 
slight  noise  in  the  stream  above  me,  and 
caught  sight  of  a  number  of  wood-ducks  borne 
on  by  the  current. 

Now  they  glided  beneath  the  bushes  which 
drooped  over  the  water ;  now  they  whirled 
round  as  some  changeful  current  caught  them 
in  its  Liliputian  whirlpool.  They  chased  each 
other  sportively  across  the  brook,  sometimes 


Distant  Indians.  315 

breasting  the  current,  then  again  relinquishing 
themselves  to  its  course.  They  were  but  small 
game,  but  I  was  famished,  and  had  my  rifle  in 
readiness. 

I  waited  until  I  got  two  of  them  in  a  range 
and  then  fired.  My  bullet  struck  off  the  head 
of  the  first  and  considerably  confused  the 
ideas  of  the  second,  but,  after  splashing  about, 
bottom  upwards,  and  trying  some  other  novel 
modes  of  navigation,  he  righted  himself  and 
flew  after  his  companions. 

Having  secured  the  one  I  had  shot,  I  crossed 
the  brook  and  struck  into  a  trail  which  led  up 
its  bank. 

I  had  scarcely  left  the  grove  when  I  caught 
sight  of  a  train  of  figures  moving  along  the  top 
of  a  ridge  far  away  to  the  westward.  There 
were  six  in  it,  and  they  must  have  been  a  mile 
distant.  So  faint  was  their  outline,  and  so 
small  did  they  appear  in  the  vast  space  that 
lay  open  in  that  direction,  that  they  reminded 
me  of  the  dim,  spectre-like  forms  of  a  phan 
tasmagoria.  At  first  I  felt  a  start  of  joy,  for  I 
thought  that  they  might  be  my  companions ; 
but  a  second  reflection  convinced  me  that  I 
was  mistaken,  for  the  train  was  moving  to  the 


316  Night  Camp. 

northward,  the  very  reverse  of  the  route  to 
the  settlements.  Then,  too,  the  idea  flashed 
across  me  that  they  must  be  Indians — perhaps 
hostile  ones. 

Although  so  distant  that  there  was  scarcely 
a  probability  of  their  seeing  me,  I  returned  to 
the  grove,  where  I  watched  their  gliding  forms 
until  they  disappeared  behind  one  of  the  ridges ; 
and  then  I  pursued  my  course.  In  front  of 
me  was  a  prairie  which  had  escaped  the  fire, 
and  was  covered  with  herbage.  But  though 
it  was  pleasing  to  the  eye,  I  soon  began  to 
wish  for  the  black  waste,  for  the  tall,  tangled 
grass  impeded  my  steps  and  rendered  my  jour 
ney  extremely  toilsome.  I  had  not  accom 
plished  many  miles  before  the  sun  was  far 
down  in  the  west.  I  then  determined  to  travel 
no  farther,  but  take  up  my  quarters  in  a  small 
grove  of  trees,  which  clustered  like  an  island 
upon  the  borders  of  a  brook.  I  collected  a 
pile  of  dry  wood,  kindled  a  fire,  made  a  spit 
of  a  green  twig,  on  which  I  impaled  my  duck, 
and  stuck  it  upright  in  the  ground  in  front  of 
the  fire  ;  then  stretching  myself  upon  a  bed  of 
dry  grass,  I  watched  the  roasting  of  my  supper 
with  a  hungry  eye.  When  I  had  made  a  meal 


Owls.  3 1 7 

with  the  relish  of  a  half-famished  man,  I  turned 
upon  my  bed  and  fell  asleep.  After  a  time 
I  awoke,  added  fresh  fuel  to  the  fire,  and 
stretched  myself  upon  my  pallet  again  to 
sleep. 

It  was  a  bright  and  beautiful  night,  the 
moon  was  shining  amidst  myriads  of  stars, 
veiled  now  and  then  by  a  light,  fleecy  cloud, 
from  which  she  seemed  to  emerge  with  in 
creasing  splendor.  I  lay  gazing  at  her  as  she 
moved  along  like  a  queen  surrounded  by  her 
maids  of  honor. 

"  Whoop  !  whoop  !  whoo  !  "  sounded  a  loud 
voice  near  me. 

I  started  to  my  feet,  for  I  thought  that  I  had 
heard  a  human  cry,  perhaps  one  of  my  party, 
and  with  a  loud  hail  I  answered  the  sound. 

"  Whoop  !  whoo  !  whoo  !  "  again  repeated 
the  voice. 

A  gigantic  sycamore  reared  its  naked  and 
scathed  trunk  in  the  moonlight.  At  the  ex 
tremity  of  a  dry  limb,  which  stretched  out 
from  nearly  the  top  of  the  tree,  was  seated  an 
owl  of  the  largest  species. 

He  repeated  the  cry  which  had  started  me : 
"  Whoop  !  whoo  !  whoo  !  " 


3i8  Owls. 

"  Whoop  !  whoo  !  whoo  !  "  responded  an 
other  from  a  different  quarter,  and  a  dusky 
bird  flitted  down,  and  perched  on  the  long 
limb  beside  his  companion.  I  again  stretched 
myself  upon  my  couch  and  watched  them,  as 
they  sat  between  me  and  the  moon.  There 
was  a  confused  jabbering  carried  on  between 
them.  They  probably  had  charge  of  the  grove, 
and  were  puzzled  at  the  intrusion  of  a  stranger. 
After  debating  for  some  time,  they  concluded 
to  take  a  nearer  view  of  the  intruder,  and  de 
scended  to  a  lower  branch.  Here  they  carried 
on  the  debate,  apparently  wondering  who  I 
was  and  what  I  wanted.  They  rubbed  their 
huge  heads  together  with  an  air  of  vast  per 
plexity  ;  they  rocked  and  fluttered  on  their 
perch. 

Occasionally  one  of  them  turned  his  head  on 
one  side,  and  cast  a  very  inquisitive  look  down 
upon  me,  and  then  a  fresh  jabbering  went  on. 
After  about  fifteen  minutes  spent  in  this  way, 
the  two  dignitaries,  giving  a  farewell  "  Whoop  ! 
whoop  !  whoo  !  "  flapped  off  and  dissappeared. 

Again  I  turned  and  fixed  my  gaze  upon  the 
moon. 

There  was  a  feeling  of  fellowship  connected 


Burning  Sycamore.  319 

with  it.  I  knew  that  other  eyes  were  resting 
upon  her  pale  orb,  and  that  while  she  was 
shining  upon  my  solitary  couch,  she  was  at  the 
same  time  pouring  her  mellow  light  upon  the 
abodes  of  friends,  far  away  and  unconscious  of 
my  situation. 

Chilled  by  the  night  air,  I  turned  away  and 
looked  into  the  fire — forming  palaces,  groves, 
and  arcades  amid  its  glowing  embers,  until 
gradually  my  eyes  closed,  and  I  slept. 

When  I  awoke  the  sun  was  shining,  and  I 
resumed  my  journey.  I  continued  on  foot 
from  sunrise  till  sunset,  without  seeing  a  living 
thing,  unless,  perhaps,  a  distant  deer,  and 
halted  for  the  night  in  a  forest  of  large  trees. 
I  found  a  huge,  dead  sycamore  standing  up 
right,  with  a  complete  chamber  formed  in  its 
trunk  by  decay.  I  kindled  a  fire  in  front  of  it, 
and  filled  the  empty  trunk  with  dried  grass 
and  pea-vines  for  a  couch.  I  was  wearied,  and 
slept  soundly  until  near  midnight,  when  I  was 
awakened  by  the  intense  heat.  The  fire  had 
by  some  means  communicated  to  a  pile  of 
fuel,  which  I  had  collected  to  feed  it  with 
during  the  night. 

This  was  in  a  furious  blaze,  causing  the  old 


320  Burning  Sycamore. 

tree  to  smoke  with  the  heat.  The  hollow 
trunk  was  no  place  for  me,  unless  I  chose  to  be 
roasted. 

I  pulled  my  cap  from  my  head,  and  wrapped 
it  round  my  powder-horn,  seized  my  rifle,  and 
sprang  through  the  fire.  The  next  instant  the 
flame  leaped  upon  my  bed  of  dried  vines,  and 
the  whole  interior  of  the  dead  tree  was  in  a 
blaze,  which  lasted  for  a  few  minutes  and  then 
expired. 

As  it  was  no  longer  possible  to  return  to  it, 
I  seated  myself  upon  a  stump,  and  remained 
half  shivering,  half  dozing,  until  morning. 


CHAPTER  XL. 

Wild  Turkey — Squirrel — Paroquets —  Trail — 
Konza  Indian — Night  Camp — Deserted  House 
— Konza  Agency — Reaching  Leavenworth. 

BEFORE  the  sun  was  up  I  was  on  my 
way,  directing  my  course  by  the  purple 
streak  in  the  east,  which  announced  its  rising. 
This  was  the  morning  of  the  fourth  day  since  I 
had  parted  from  my  companions. 

I  had  made  but  one  meal,  and  the  cravings 
of  hunger  were  becoming  excessive.  I  looked 
round,  when  I  reached  the  edge  of  the  prairie, 
but  saw  nothing ;  I  looked  through  the  bottom 
of  forest,  but  no  game  was  visible.  I  stretched 
out  my  leg,  looked  at  the  leather  leggin  which 
covered  it,  and  wondered  whether  it  was  easy 
of  digestion.  I  felt  it  ;  it  was  rather  tough  ; 
so  I  determined  to  keep  on  and  wait  till  night, 
before  I  proceeded  to  extremities. 

Just  then  I  caught  sight  of  a  turkey,  leading 
a  flock  to  take  an  airing  in  the  prairie.  I  sent 
321 


322  Squirrel. 

a  bullet  after  him ;  his  wing  dropped  and 
dragged,  and  I  commenced  a  hot  pursuit. 
But,  though  I  had  injured  his  wing,  I  had  not 
damaged  his  legs,  and  after  following  him  for 
some  distance,  he  made  his  way  into  a  thicket, 
and  I  abandoned  the  chase. 

The  rest  of  the  flock,  taking  advantage  of 
the  diversion  created  in  their  favor,  had  disap 
peared  among  the  trees  and  bushes,  so  I  gave 
up  all  hopes  of  finding  them,  and  wandered 
slowly  along  the  edge  of  the  woods.  As  I  was 
winding  my  way  through  the  trees  I  heard  a 
loud  click  above  me,  and  observed  a  large  red 
squirrel  springing  from  one  limb  to  another  of 
a  bur-oak.  As  he  caught  sight  of  me,  he 
darted  round  the  trunk  and  peered  out,  with 
with  about  an  inch  of  his  head,  to  take  an 
observation. 

I  determined  that  have  that  squirrel  I  would, 
if  I  spent  the  whole  day  in  shooting  at  him.  I 
rested  my  rifle  against  the  trunk  of  a  tree,  and 
after  a  long  aim,  fired ;  the  bullet  struck  his 
head,  and  whirled  him  from  the  tree. 

I  had  lost  my  knife  on  the  day  previous,  but 
with  the  assistance  of  a  nail  which  I  found  in 
my  pouch,  I  skinned  my  prize,  and  fastening 


Paroquets.  323 

it  upon  the  point  of  a  spit  made  of  a  dry  stick, 
stuck  it  in  the  ground  to  roast  before  a  fire 
which  I  made.  While  the  cooking  was  going 
on,  a  flock  of  paroquets  flew  screaming  through 
the  trees,  and  alighted  upon  a  dead  branch  di 
rectly  above  me,  casting  side-looks  down  upon 
my  roast,  and  from  the  chattering  that  they 
kept  up,  no  doubt  were  congratulating  each 
other  upon  having  arrived  in  time  for  break 
fast.  But  I  had  a  meal  in  store  for  them,  of  a 
very  different  description,  for,  after  some  man 
agement,  I  contrived  to  get  three  of  them  in  a 
range,  and  fired. 

My  bullet  missed,  and  the  flock  whirled  off, 
though  I  could  hear  their  voices  raised  in  a 
clamorous  outcry,  long  after  they  had  disap 
peared  among  the  trees. 

I  despatched  my  breakfast  with  a  ravenous 
appetite,  and  taking  with  me  the  skin  of  the 
animal,  to  serve  as  a  future  meal  in  case  of  ex 
tremity,  I  continued  my  course  until  afternoon. 
But  I  was  now  becoming  perplexed,  for  I  ex 
pected  to  have  reached  the  settlements  before 
this,  and  I  began  to  yield  to  the  idea  which, 
strange  as  it  may  seem,  invariably  fastens  it 
self  upon  persons  when  wandering  bewildered 
through  these  regions. 


324  Trait. 

I  thought  that  the  sun  had  got  turned  and  was 
setting  in  the  east.  For  some  time  this  idea 
was  strong  ;  but  I  remembered  the  almost  part 
ing  words  of  one  of  our  hunters :  "  Look  ye," 
said  he,  "  you  straggle  so  much  from  the  party, 
that  some  day  or  other  you  will  be  lost.  Then, 
all  you  have  to  do,  is  to  keep  straight  away  for 
the  east.  It  will  be  sure  to  bring  you  right  in 
the  end.  But  remember  one  thing — never  get 
bothered.  When  the  sun  rises,  strike  to  the 
east,  and  don't  do — as  many  have  done  when 
puzzled, — don't  think  that  the  sun  rises  or  sets 

wrong ;    for,  if   you  do,   you    will   go   to   the 
1  »» 

JL« 

I  was  becoming  bewildered,  and  I  remem 
bered  this  advice,  just  at  the  time  when  it  was 
most  needed.  So  I  turned  my  back  upon  what 
I  had  been  positive  was  the  east,  and  travelled 
in  the  direction  which  I  was  equally  positive 
was  the  west. 

I  had  journeyed  along  the  prairie  for  some 
hours,  when,  unexpectedly,  I  struck  into  a  wide 
trail. 

There  were  four  paths  running  side  by  side, 
all  evidently  much  travelled,  and  bearing  prints 
of  recent  hoofs.  While  I  was  examining  them, 


Konza  Indian.  325 

I  saw  the  track  of  a  wagon  wheel.  New 
strength  seemed  to  course  through  my  limbs 
at  this  discovery,  and  I  hastened  along  the 
path  as  swiftly  as  if  I  had  just  started  upon 
a  fresh  journey.  I  followed  the  trail  for  sev 
eral  hours.  On  my  right  was  a  dense  bottom 
of  timber ;  and  here  and  there,  through  the 
branches,  I  could  perceive  the  waters  of  a 
river.  I  supposed  this  to  be  the  Missouri ; 
that  I  had  struck  the  trail  which  led  to  Leav- 
enworth,  and  that  by  continuing  to  follow  it,  I 
would  be  able  to  reach  the  garrison  before 
nightfall ;  but  I  could  see  nothing  that  I  recog 
nized.  If  it  were  the  road  to  Leavenworth,  I 
had  passed  it  before,  and  ought  to  be  able  to 
recall  the  landmarks ;  but  here  all  was  strange. 
As  I  was  looking  around  I  caught  sight  of  a 
black  speck  moving  over  the  path  which  I  had 
already  passed.  It  came  nearer  and  nearer, 
until  I  could  see  that  it  was  a  horseman. 

It  might  be  one  of  the  officers  from  the 
garrison,  and  I  slackened  my  pace  for  him  to 
come  up ;  but  as  he  approached  I  discovered 
that  he  was  an  Indian. 

I  was  then  certain  that  I  must  be  on  the 
banks  of  the  Kansas;  that  I  had  struck  too  far 


326  Konza  Indian. 

to  the  south,  and  had  reached  it  before  its 
junction  with  the  Missouri.  I  had  been  long 
ing  feverishly  for  the  sight  of  a  human  being, 
yet  no  sooner  did  I  behold  one,  than  my  first 
movement  was  to  await  his  approach,  with  my 
ringer  upon  my  gun  trigger. 

When  he  drew  near,  he  held  up  the  palm  of 
his  hand,  in  token  of  friendship,  and  galloped 
directly  up  to  me.  He  was  a  fine-looking  man 
of  the  Konza  tribe,  apparently  not  above 
thirty,  wrapped  in  a  blue  blanket,  armed  with 
a  rifle,  and  mounted  upon  a  black  pony.  He 
dismounted,  struck  fire,  and  lighted  his  pipe, 
for  a  smoke.  From  that  moment  we  were 
friends.  I  learned  from  him  that  the  river 
near  was  the  Kansas,  and  that  it  would  be 
daylight  before  I  could  reach  the  nearest 
abode  of  a  white  man.  As  soon  as  our  truce 
was  settled,  my  Indian  friend  mounted,  and 
left  me  to  follow  on  foot  as  well  as  I  was  able. 
I  trudged  after  him ;  while  he  occasionally 
thumped  his  little  nag  into  a  trot,  casting  a 
look  behind,  to  see  whether  I  could  contrive 
to  keep  up  with  him.  He  at  last  reached  out 
his  rifle  with  the  lock  broken,  and  wished  me 
to  mend  it.  He  then  handed  me  a  horn,  with- 


Konza  Indian.  327 

out  a  grain  of  powder  in  it,  and  wished  me  to 
fill  it.  I  took  the  gun,  and  blew  into  the 
muzzle ;  the  air  passed  freely  through  the 
touch-hole. 

I  was  glad  to  find  that  he  was  to  a  certain 
extent  unarmed.  I  quietly  reached  it  to  him, 
and  he,  seeing  that  I  was  not  disposed  to  put 
it  in  order,  took  it  and  said  nothing  more 
about  the  matter. 

We  kept  on  together  until  we  reached  a 
stream  which  ran  across  the  route. 

Here  the  Indian  paused,  by  which  means  I 
came  up  with  him,  and  signified  my  wish  to 
mount  his  horse  to  cross  the  water.  He  de 
murred  at  first,  but  I  persisted.  At  last,  though 
with  evident  reluctance,  he  acceded  to  my  re 
quest,  and  took  me  up  behind  him.  I  had 
been  mounted  only  for  a  few  moments,  but  I 
found  the  transition  far  from  disagreeable.  I 
was  wearied  with  walking,  and  there  was  some 
thing  highly  pleasing  in  travelling  upon  other 
legs  than  my  own.  I  therefore  quietly  retained 
my  seat ;  and  though  my  companion  halted 
the  horse,  for  the  purpose  of  my  dismounting, 
I  was  so  well  satisfied  with  my  situation  that  I 
pretended  not  to  understand  his  meaning,  and 


328  Konza  Indian. 

listened  to  his  words  and  viewed  his  gestures 
with  an  appearance  of  the  greatest  stolidity. 
At  length  he  determined  to  endeavor  to  shake 
me  off.  For  this  purpose  he  wriggled  and 
twisted  in  his  seat.  I,  however,  clung  still 
more  closely  to  him  ;  and  the  only  one  that 
appeared  annoyed  by  the  action  was  the  horse, 
who  expressed  his  displeasure  by  kicking  up. 

The  Indian,  finding  this  to  be  unsuccessful,  in 
creased  the  speed  of  his  nag  to  a  gallop — but 
in  vain ;  I  was  as  securely  fixed  behind,  as  the 
Old  Man  of  the  Sea  upon  the  shoulders  of 
Sindbad.  At  length  he  gave  it  up,  and  check 
ing  his  horse,  sprang  off. 

As  he  did  this  I  slid  forward  into  his  seat. 
I  felt  some  twinges  respecting  my  ungrateful 
conduct,  but  my  weariness  overcame  them. 

My  next  object  was  to  gain  something  to 
eat ;  for,  notwithstanding  the  squirrel,  I  felt  a 
vacuum  within,  that  required  filling. 

I  observed  that  my  fellow-traveller  carried 
a  bundle  of  dried  venison  slung  from  his 
shoulder. 

I  accordingly  signified  to  him  that  I  had  eaten 
nothing  for  two  days,  at  the  same  time  point 
ing  to  the  venison,  but  the  fellow  was  obstinate  ; 


Konza  Indian.  329 

he  shook  his  head,  and  afterwards,  whenever  I 
started  the  subject,  he  looked  in  a  different  di 
rection.  Finding  that  fair  means  were  of  no 
avail,  I  determined  to  try  what  foul  could  do. 
As  I  was  mounted,  I  resolved  that  he  should 
think  I  intended  to  scamper  off  with  his  horse, 
so  I  thumped  my  rifle  against  his  ribs,  and 
scoured  along  the  trail  at  full  gallop. 

The  moment  I  started,  the  Indian  followed 
with  a  speed  that  almost  equalled  that  of  the 
pony;  but  unfortunately  for  himself  his  wind 
was  soon  exhausted.  He  then  began  to  think 
of  a  compromise,  and  at  last  with  much  reluc 
tance  loosened  a  piece  of  the  deer's  flesh  and 
held  it  up  towards  me,  at  the  same  time  signi 
fying  by  his  gestures  that  if  I  would  stop  he 
would  give  me  a  portion.  This  was  all  that  I 
desired ;  and  pulling  in  the  horse,  I  received 
the  venison  and  dismounted,  relinquishing  the 
nag  to  his  owner.  He,  however,  thinking  the 
treaty  between  us  not  yet  sufficiently  ratified, 
immediately  lit  his  pipe,  and  passed  it  to  me 
for  a  second  smoke.  We  then  set  out,  and  at 
dusk  reached  a  small  wood  ;  here  the  Indian 
hobbled  his  horse,  and  throwing  a  few  sticks 
together,  kindled  a  fire.  He  then  offered  me 


330  Konza  Indian. 

a  small  piece  of  venison  which  he  had  broiled 
upon  the  coals  ;  after  which  he  drew  his  blanket 
round  him  and  stretched  himself  at  full  length 
on  one  side  of  the  fire,  while  I  threw  myself 
across  my  rifle  on  the  other. 

I  must  have  slept  an  hour.  When  I 
awoke  it  was  intensely  cold,  the  fire  having 
burnt  very  low. 

My  companion  lay  exactly  as  I  left  him  when 
going  to  sleep ;  he  did  not  seem  to  notice  that 
the  fire  was  expiring,  nor  did  the  cold  seem  to 
affect  him. 

I  rose  up  and  stood  over  him,  but  he  did  not 
move.  I  then  stirred  him  with  my  foot,  and 
shouted  to  him,  at  the  same  time  motioning 
to  him  to  assist  in  collecting  wood  to  keep 
alive  the  fire. 

He  apparently  was  aware  of  my  object,  for 
all  that  I  could  elicit  was  a  grunt ;  nor  would  he 
even  open  his  eyes  to  look  at  me.  So,  in  no 
very  pleasant  humor,  I  went  in  search  of  fuel, 
taking  my  rifle  with  me. 

I  had  not  gone  far  before  I  came  upon  his 
little  imp  of  a  horse.  I  was  so  much  vexed 
with  the  master  that  I  could  not  help  bestow 
ing  a  thwack  upon  the  animal,  who  came  smell- 


Konza  Indian.  331 

ing  up  to  me  with  the  air  of  an  old  acquaint 
ance.  With  a  loud  snort  and  a  half  attempt  at 
a  kick,  he  hobbled  off  as  well  as  the  confined 
state  of  his  legs  would  let  him. 

Hard  of  hearing  and  difficult  to  rouse  as  the 
Indian  had  been  when  I  attempted  it,  no  sooner 
was  the  tramping  sound  of  the  horse's  hoofs 
heard,  as  he  crashed  over  the  dead  brushwood, 
than  he  sprang  to  his  feet  and  came  flying 
towards  me  with  the  swiftness  of  a  deer. 

I  have  but  little  doubt  that  he  thought  I  had 
served  him  an  Indian  trick,  and  was  scouring 
off  through  the  bushes  with  his  nag.  As  it 
was,  when  he  found  him  safe  he  was  for  return 
ing  to  stretch  himself  before  the  fire.  I,  how 
ever,  arrested  him,  and  made  signs  to  him  to 
assist  in  carrying  a  large  limb  to  our  sleeping- 
place,  which  he  did  with  evident  reluctance, 
for  he  seemed  to  possess  in  a  high  degree  the 
Indian  aversion  to  labor. 

About  midnight  he  awakened  me,  and  signi 
fied  that  it  was  time  to  be  on  the  move.  He 
first  unhobbled  his  horse  and  led  him  to  the 
bank  of  the  river,  which  was  clayey  and  very 
steep,  for  the  purpose  of  watering  him.  Here 
a  violent  contest  took  place  between  the  nag 


33 2  Konza  Indian. 

and  the  Indian;  the  first  being  afraid  to  ven 
ture  down  the  slippery  descent,  and  the  master 
endeavoring  by  coaxing  and  kicking  to  induce 
him  to  advance.  He  had  planted  his  feet  in 
the  very  edge  of  the  bank,  and  although  his 
nose  and  head  were  pulled  out  to  a  horizontal 
line  by  the  efforts  of  the  Indian,  the  rest  of  his 
body  was  as  immovable  as  one  of  the  trees 
around.  The  Indian  then  made  signs  to  me 
to  assist  him,  for  he  seemed  determined  that 
the  horse  should  drink  whether  thirsty  or  not. 
I  did  not  feel  in  a  good-humor  with  him  ;  but 
as  he  seemed  to  wish  it,  I  bestowed  a  few 
hearty  thwacks  upon  the  hinder  parts  of  the 
animal.  Finding  this  of  no  avail,  I  seized  a 
small  sapling,  and  placing  it  under  his  belly, 
made  use  of  it  as  a  lever  to  press  him  side 
ways  over  the  bank.  The  pressure  against  his 
ribs  drove  him  within  a  foot  of  the  edge.  I 
placed  the  pole  beyond  the  verge  of  the  bank, 
and  again  made  use  of  it  as  a  lever.  He 
made  a  strong  effort  to  resist,  but  just  then 
the  Indian  jerked  his  halter  violently,  and  the 
horse  went  sousing  heels  over  head  into  the 
river,  where  he  swam  up  and  down,  puffing  and 
snorting.  Several  times  he  attempted  to  climb 


Konza  Indian.  333 

the  bank,  but  rolled  back  and  floundered  in  the 
water. 

The  Indian  was  now  alarmed  lest  he  should 
be  drowned.  But  he  at  last  succeeded  in  get 
ting  him  up  the  bank;  and  being  satisfied  that 
his  thirst  was  completely  quenched,  once  more 
hobbled  him,  and  then  signified  that  we  should 
move  forward  on  our  journey. 

Before  starting,  however,  he  took  from  his 
shoulders  his  piece  of  venison,  and  hung  it  upon 
a  tree. 

I  then  followed  him  silently,  though  I  could 
not  imagine  why  he  had  left  his  venison,  or 
why  he  travelled  on  foot  when  he  had  a  horse 
to  carry  him. 

We  soon  came  to  a  river,  across  which,  though 
full  of  thin  ice,  we  waded,  and  then  started  for 
ward  on  a  trail  which  led  through  a  wood.  Oc 
casionally  I  took  the  lead  ;  but  the  trail  grew 
so  indistinct  that  I  was  obliged  to  give  place 
to  my  companion,  who  always  kept  on  without 
hesitation. 

We  had  travelled  about  twelve  miles,  making 
many  circuits  and  windings,  and  striking  from 
one  trail  to  another,  until  we  emerged  from  the 
wood,  and  I  found  myself  again  near  the  bank 
of  the  Kansas  River. 


334  Deserted  House. 

Before  me  was  a  large  house,  with  a  court 
yard  in  front.  I  sprang  through  the  unhung 
gate,  and  ran  to  the  door.  It  was  open  ;  I 
shouted  ;  my  voice  echoed  through  the  rooms, 
but  there  was  no  answer.  I  walked  in.  The 
doors  were  swinging  from  their  hinges,  and 
long  grass  was  growing  through  the  crevices  of 
the  floor.  While  I  stood  gazing  around,  an 
owl  flew  by  and  dashed  out  of  an  unglazed 
window.  Again  I  shouted,  but  there  was  no 
answer  ;  the  place  was  desolate  and  deserted. 
I  afterwards  learned  that  this  house  had  been 
built  for  the  chief  of  the  Kansas  tribe,  but 
that  the  ground  upon  which  it  was  placed 
having  been  discovered  to  be  within  a  tract 
granted  to  another  tribe,  the  chief  had  de 
serted  it,  and  it  had  been  allowed  to  fall  to 
ruin. 

My  guide  waited  until  I  had  finished  my  ex 
amination,  and  then  we  again  pushed  forward. 
Several  times  I  mistook  the  howling  of  wolves 
for  the  barking  of  house-dogs ;  and  when  I  was 
passing  through  some  dark  skirt  of  timber, 
and  expected  to  come  upon  a  house,  I  was 
disappointed  by  seeing  my  guide  launch  out 
into  the  open  prairie.  Several  times,  too,  my 


Konza  Agency.  335 

hopes  were  excited  by  a  light  glimmering  in 
the  darkness,  which,  upon  coming  up,  I  would 
discover  to  proceed  from  a  tree  which  had 
caught  fire  from  the  burning  of  the  prairies. 

Thus  we  kept  on  until  near  daylight,  when 
we  emerged  from  a  thick  forest,  and  came  sud 
denly  upon  a  small  hamlet. 

The  barking  of  several  dogs,  who  came  flying 
out  to  meet  us,  convinced  me  that  this  time  I 
was  not  mistaken.  A  light  was  shining  through 
the  crevices  of  a  log  cabin  ;  I  knocked  at  the 
door  with  a  violence  that  might  have  awakened 
one  of  the  seven  sleepers. 

"  Who  dere,  and  vot  you  want  ?  "  screamed 
a  little  cracked  voice  from  within. 

It  sounded  like  music  to  me.  I  stated  my 
troubles.  The  door  was  opened  ;  a  head,  gar 
nished  with  a  red  night-cap,  was  thrust  out,  and 
after  a  little  parley  I  was  admitted  into  the 
bedroom  of  the  man,  his  Indian  squaw,  and 
children. 

As  it  was  the  only  room  in  the  house,  it  was 
also  the  kitchen.  I  had  gone  so  long  without 
food,  that  notwithstanding  what  I  had  eaten 
the  gnawings  of  hunger  were  excessive,  and  I 
had  no  sooner  mentioned  my  wants,  than  a  fire 


336  Konza  Agency. 

was  kindled,  and  in  twenty  minutes  a  meal  (I 
don't  exactly  know  whether  to  call  it  breakfast, 
dinner,  or  supper)  of  hot  cakes,  venison,  honey, 
and  coffee  was  placed  before  me,  and  disap 
peared  with  the  rapidity  of  lightning.  The 
squaw  having  seen  me  fairly  started,  returned 
to  her  couch. 

From  the  owner  of  the  cabin  I  learned  that 
I  was  now  at  the  Kansas  Agency,  and  that  he 
was  the  blacksmith  of  the  place. 

At  sunrise  I  was  awakened  from  a  sound 
sleep  upon  a  bear-skin,  by  a  violent  knock 
ing  at  the  door. 

It  was  my  Indian  guide.  He  threw  out 
broad  hints  respecting  the  service  which  he 
had  rendered  me,  and  the  presents  he  de 
served.  This  I  could  not  deny  ;  but  I  had 
nothing  to  give.  I  soon  found  out,  however, 
that  his  wants  were  moderate,  and  that  a  small 
present  of  powder  would  satisfy  him  ;  so  I  filled 
his  horn,  and  he  left  the  cabin  apparently  well 
pleased. 

In  a  short  time  I  left  the  house,  and  met  the 
Kansas  Agent,  General  Clark,  a  tall,  thin,  sol 
dier-like  man,  arrayed  in  an  Indian  hunting- 
shirt  and  an  old  fox-skin  cap. 


Konza  Agency.  337 

He  received  me  cordially,  and  I  remained 
with  him  all  day,  during  which  time  he  talked 
upon  metaphysics,  discussed  politics,  and  fed 
me  upon  sweet  potatoes,  which  he  roasted  for 
me  while  I  sprawled  on  a  bear-skin  in  front  of 
the  fire.  In  speaking  of  my  guide,  I  found 
that  he  had  departed  after  receiving  a  present 
from  the  Agent,  to  whom  he  stated  that  he 
had  eaten  nothing  for  twenty-four  hours.  I 
spoke  of  the  deer's-flesh  he  had  left  behind. 

"  The  lying  rascal !  "  said  the  General ;  "  he 
said  he  was  starving." 

I  spoke  of  the  Indian  pony. 

"  What  color  was  he  ?  "  asked  the  General. 

"  Black,  with  short  mane  and  crop  ears." 

"The  scamp  !  that  's  my  horse,"  exclaimed 
he  ;  "  stolen  four  days  ago.  What  an  infernal 
villain  that  Konza  is  !  " 

I  had  met  the  General  at  Fort  Leavenworth 
before  setting  out  on  our  expedition,  and  he 
now  inquired  where  I  had  left  the  party,  and 
what  success  we  had  met  with.  I  told  him 
where  we  had  been,  and  what  we  had  done* 
and  that  the  Commissioner  was  probably  now 
at  Fort  Leavenworth  with  about  a  hundred 
Pawnees  and  Otoes,  to  settle  the  terms  of  a 


338  Reaching  Leavenworth. 

treaty  with  the  Konsas  and  other  neighboring 
tribes. 

As  soon  as  he  heard  this  he  was  on  the  alert, 
and  proposed  that  we  should  both  set  out  for 
the  garrison  without  delay,  to  which  I  agreed. 

He  furnished  me  with  a  mule,  and  at  night 
fall  we  started,  he  acting  as  guide,  sometimes 
through  the  woods,  and  at  others  across  a  prai 
rie  which  was  as  black  as  ink  and  almost  as 
trackless  as  the  sea. 

We  reached  the  garrison,  which  was  forty 
miles  distant,  on  the  following  morning  a  little 
before  daylight. 

As  I  passed  one  of  the  out-houses  in  riding 
up  to  the  cantonment,  I  perceived  an  Indian 
leaning  against  one  of  the  door-posts.  "  Ugh  !  " 
exclaimed  he,  starting  forward  ;  and  the  next 
moment  my  hand  was  in  the  cordial  grasp  of 
the  lotan  chief. 

The  party  had  reached  the  garrison  on  the 
evening  previous,  and  the  whole  wild  band, 
both  Pawnees  and  Otoes,  were  under  the  pro 
tection  of  the  whites. 

My  safe  arrival  at  the  garrison  so  soon  after 
the  others  of  our  party  seemed  to  cause  much 
surprise. 


Reaching  Leavenworth.  339 

I  was  told  that  on  the  morning  after  my 
disappearance  two  Indians  had  been  sent  out 
in  search  of  me,  with  the  promise  of  a  blanket 
to  each  in  case  they  brought  me  back. 

They  had  discovered  my  trail  as  I  had  passed 
through  the  grass,  and  had  followed  it  about  fif 
teen  miles,  until  they  came  to  where  the  prairie 
had  been  burnt  after  I  had  passed  over  it.  Here 
they  lost  the  trail  and  abandoned  the  search. 

As  soon  as  they  learned  that  I  had  reached 
the  garrison,  they  presented  their  claim. 

As  they  had  done  their  best  to  find  me  I  had 
no  wish  to  disappoint  them,  and  so  I  accom 
panied  them  to  the  sutler's  store,  and  told  them 
to  select  their  blankets.  I  soon  discovered 
that  although  they  had  never  owned  one 
of  these  articles  of  apparel,  they  were  very 
good  judges  of  material ;  and  they  left  the 
sutler's  shop,  clad  in  two  of  the  most  expensive 
blankets  that  he  had  on  sale. 

During  the  whole  of  that  day,  they  lounged 
around  their  camp,  the  object  of  envy  to  all  of 
their  less  favored  companions.  Ha-che-ka- 
sug-ha,  on  seeing  them,  thus  fitted  out,  re 
minded  me  that  I  was  his  Min-tarrah,  whereupon 
I  presented  him  with  one  of  the  same  kind. 


CHAPTER  XLI. 

The  Relief  Party. 

~^HE   burning   of  the   prairies,  which  de- 

X  prived  the  horses  of  their  usual  supply 
of  food,  had  proved  a  great  drawback  to  the 
movements  of  the  party. 

The  prairie-bred  ponies  had  not  suffered  so 
much  ;  but  the  horses  which  had  been  accus 
tomed  to  care  in  the  garrison  stables,  became 
so  feeble  that  they  could  scarcely  travel,  and 
their  former  riders  walked  by  their  sides. 

It  was  important  for  the  Commissioner  to  be 
at  Fort  Leavenworth  ;  for  more  than  a  hundred 
Indians  were  accompanying  him  thither,  to 
meet  the  migratory  tribes,  and  notices  had  been 
sent  to  the  agents  of  the  latter  to  have  their 
delegates  at  Leavenworth  at  a  certain  time. 

That  time  was  close  at  hand,  and  the  Commis 
sioner  feared  that  he  might  not  be  at  the  gar 
rison  when  they  arrived. 

In  addition  to  this,  the  supply  of  provisions 
was  giving  out. 

340 


Relief  Party.  341 

Under  these  circumstances  he  determined  to 
push  on  with  the  Indians  and  soldiers,  and 
such  of  the  horses  as  could  carry  a  rider. 

Mr.  D volunteered  to  remain  with  the 

rest,  and  to  come  on  as  fast  as  the  strength  of 
the  horess  would  permit ;  and  the  Commissioner 
promised  to  send  a  supply  of  provisions  to 
them  as  soon  as  possible. 

The  day  after  my  arrival  at  the  fort  I  was 
informed  of  these  facts,  and  of  the  doleful 
plight  of  my  friend  D . 

I  was  also  informed  that  our  veteran  hunter 
Rash,  and  another  soldier,  also  an  old  cam 
paigner,  were  to  set  out  that  afternoon  to  carry 
the  needed  supplies. 

I  volunteered  to  accompany  them,  for  I  felt 

a  strong  interest  in  the  welfare  of  Mr.  D , 

and  also  in  that  of  my  two  horses,  which  had 
been  left  behind,  and  were  described  as  being 
thoroughly  broken  down. 

I  did  not  suppose  that  I  could  do  much  for 
either  of  them ;  but  I  had  taken  a  great  fancy 
to  the  wild  adventure  of  prairie  life,  and  was 
anxious  to  have  another  dash  into  it  before 
leaving  the  Far  West. 

I  was  supplied  with  a  horse  from  the  garri- 


342  Relief  Party. 

son  ;  my  two  comrades  were  similarly  mounted  ; 
and  we  all  carried  rifles,  but  no  change  of  raiment. 
A  pack  horse  loaded  with  bread,  biscuits,  and 
salt  pork,  etc.,  accompanied  us.  We  did  not 
expect  to  be  absent  more  than  two  days,  be 
cause  the  place  where  the  party  had  been  left 
was  not  more  than  fifty  miles  off. 

There  were  no  paths  through  the  region 
which  we  were  to  travel,  but  the  party  which 
had  come  in,  had  left  a  trail  across  the  burnt 
prairie  so  broad  and  distinct  that  it  could  not 
well  be  missed. 

This  we  were  to  follow  until  we  came  upon 
those  whom  we  sought,  and  whom  we  expected 
to  meet  pursuing  the  same  trail  towards  us. 

It  was  cloudy,  and  threatening  rain  when 
we  set  out ;  but  we  soon  found  the  trail,  and 
pushed  on  briskly  until  it  was  nearly  dark, 
when  we  came  to  a  small  river  which  ran 
between  two  high  banks. 

It  was  well  wooded,  and  the  grass  under  the 
trees  on  the  edge  of  the  prairie  had  escaped 
the  fire.  We  thought  that  this  was  a  good  place 
to  encamp  ;  so  we  hobbled  the  horses,  took  off 
their  saddles,  and  turned  them  loose  to  graze 
as  well  as  they  could  through  the  night. 


Relief  Party.  343 

Rash  built  a  bough-house,  covered  with 
brushwood  and  branches,  as  a  shelter  from  the 
rain  which  was  beginning  to  fall. 

He  also  made  a  large  fire  against  the  trunk 
of  a  fallen  tree,  and  in  front  of  it  we  took  our 
supper.  In  the  meantime  the  storm  increased, 
the  rain  fell  in  torrents,  and  we  retreated  from 
the  fire  to  our  bough-house. 

It  was  not  long  before  Rash  began  to  show 
signs  of  uneasiness,  and  once  or  twice  he  went 
out  and  watched  the  river. 

At  last  he  said:  "I  don't  like  the  sounds 
which  I  hear  up  yonder.  About  a  mile  above 
this,  the  river  is  blocked  up  with  dead  timber 
and  driftwood,  and  there  's  a  monstrous  big 
pond  there.  I  hope  that  the  dam  will  hold 
out— that  's  all." 

He  had  scarcely  finished  speaking  before  a 
strange  rumbling  sound,  which  I  cannot  well 
describe,  came  through  the  woods,  and  near  at 
hand.  The  dam  had  given  way,  and  the  river 
was  coming  down  upon  us. 

There  was  no  time  to  be  lost.  Fortunately 
there  was  a  large  tree  near  us,  which  had  been 
blown  partly  down,  and  had  caught  in  the 
branches  of  another  tree.  The  trunk  of  this 


344  Relief  Party. 

tree  formed  an  inclined  plane,  up  which  we 
scrambled  until  we  were  out  of  reach  of  the 
water. 

In  a  few  minutes,  in  the  dim  light,  we  could 
see  a  mass  of  foam,  filled  with  branches  of 
trees  and  other  objects,  whirled  over  the  spot 
where  our  camp  had  been,  and  could  hear  the 
cracking  of  bushes  as  some  hard  object  broke 
its  way  through  them  and  swept  down  the 
valley. 

This  deluge  did  not  last  long ;  but  it  had  swept 
away  our  bough-house,  put  out  our  fire,  and 
filled  the  "  bottom  "  (as  the  hunters  called  it) 
with  so  much  mud  and  slush  that  we  thought 
it  best  to  remain  where  we  were  until  daylight. 

We  were  afraid  that  our  horses,  rifles,  and 
stock  of  provisions  had  been  swept  away,  and 
that  we  might  be  obliged  to  return  to  Fort 
Leavenworth  for  a  fresh  supply. 

Rash,  with  the  instinct  of  an  old  hunter,  had 
snatched  up  his  rifle,  and  carried  it  to  the  tree- 
top  with  him.  The  other  soldier  and  I 
had  shown  less  forethought,  and  in  the 
scramble  had  left  our  firearms  in  the  bough- 
house  ;  but  we  all  carried  our  powder-horns 
and  bullet-pouches  slung  over  our  shoulders. 


Relief  Party.  345 

During  the  night  the  rain  ceased,  and  as 
soon  as  it  was  daylight  we  clambered  down  to 
the  ground. 

The  place  where  our  camp  had  been  was  a 
mass  of  mud  and  stones,  among  which  we 
found  our  rifles,  partly  buried,  but  fortunately 
uninjured.  Our  saddles  and  the  bags  contain 
ing  provisions  had  lodged  in  the  bushes. 

The  horses  were  our  next  objects  of  search, 
and  we  discovered  them  quietly  browsing  at 
the  top  of  the  hill. 

The  bread  and  salt  pork  were  thoroughly 
soaked,  and  the  crackers  were  reduced  to 
"pap." 

We  contrived  to  kindle  a  fire  and  to  dry 
ourselves,  and  our  blankets  and  guns.  We 
also  dried  the  bread  and  salt  pork,  but  the  bag 
of  biscuits  was  hopeless.  It  resembled  a  large 
pudding. 

Rash  in  the  meantime  had  shot  two  ducks, 
and  these  roasted  with  some  of  the  "  pap  " 
formed  our  breakfast ;  and  as  soon  as  possible 
we  resumed  our  journey. 

It  was  late  in  the  afternoon  when  we  dis 
covered  the  party  about  a  mile  off.  They  had 
also  caught  sight  of  us,  but  were  too  weary  and 


346  Relief  Party. 

worn  out  to  increase  their  speed.   A  more  woe 
begone  set  of  men  I  had  not  often  seen. 

Joe's  mules  bore  their  hard  lot  better  than 
the  horses,  but  both  men  and  animals  showed 
the  want  of  food. 

There  was  quite  a  jubilee  when  we  met,  and 
not  a  little  surprise  at  seeing  me  in  the  relief 
party,  as  they  had  made  up  their  minds  that  I 
would  never  reach  the  settlements,  but  would 
either  die  of  starvation  or  be  killed  and 
scalped. 

The  only  one  of  the  whole  party  who  had 
expected  to  the  contrary  was  Major  Dougherty, 
who  said  that  I  had  hunted  so  much  alone,  and 
was  so  "  tough,"  that  unless  I  fell  in  with  hos 
tile  Indians  he  felt  sure  that  I  would  "turn 
up  "  all  right. 

When  we  met  this  party  we  were  near  a 
brook  with  trees  growing  along  its  banks,  and 
all  hands  agreed  that  it  was  the  best  place  to 
encamp  for  the  night. 

In  the  meantime  Rash  shouldered  his  rifle 
and  set  out  in  search  of  game. 

We  heard  several  shots,  and  presently  he 
made  his  appearance  with  a  duck  in  his  hand 
and  two  animals  slung  on  his  back. 


Relief  Party.  347 

These  last  proved  to  be  otters,  which  he  had 
killed  in  the  neighboring  river. 

The  duck  he  handed  to  Mordecai  to  prepare 
for  cooking,  and  proceeded  himself  to  skin  the 
otters. 

Their  skins  being  valuable  he  would  not 
trust  so  delicate  an  operation  to  Mordecai. 

The  skinning  having  been  completed  in  a 
very  short  time,  the  soldiers  determined  to 
roast  the  otters  and  make  their  supper  of  them, 
instead  of  the  salt  pork  which  we  had  brought. 

They  were  accordingly  spitted  on  two  sticks 
driven  in  the  ground  and  placed  in  front  of  the 
fire. 

Mr.  D came  up  while  the  roasting  was 

going  on. 

He  gave  vent  to  an  exclamation  of  disgust, 
and  said  that  they  looked  so  much  like  two 
small  children  on  the  spits  that  it  made  him 
sick  to  look  at  them. 

At  his  request  their  heads,  which  had  been 
left  on,  were  taken  off,  and  the  roast  then  pro 
ceeded. 

He  however  did  not  partake  of  them,  and 
the  hunter  very  considerately  presented  him 
with  the  duck,  of  which  he  made  as  good  a 


348  Relief  Party. 

meal  as  his  reminiscences  of  the  otters  would 
permit. 

On  the  following  morning  we  set  out  for 
Fort  Leavenworth,  which  we  reached  in  the 
afternoon,  glad  to  be  once  more  among  our  old 
comrades,  and  with  plenty  to  eat. 

I  may  mention  that  my  horses  were  so  com 
pletely  broken  down  that  they  had  been  left 
in  a  "  bottom  "  where  there  was  plenty  of  water 
and  a  good  supply  of  grass. 

After  I  left  Fort  Leavenworth,  a  soldier  was 
sent  to  hunt  them  up.  One  was  found,  but  so 
thoroughly  enfeebled  that  he  died  within  a 
week  after  his  return  to  the  fort.  The  other 
was  never  heard  of,  and  had  probably  been 
carried  off  by  Indians. 

On  my  return,  I  paid  frequent  visits  to  my 
Indian  companions  of  the  prairie.  They  were 
encamped  in  the  woods  around  the  garrison, 
pretty  much  in  the  same  manner  as  when  they 
were  travelling  from  their  villages.  They  had 
built  bough  houses,  had  lighted  fires,  and  were 
gathered  around  them  as  usual. 

Whenever  we  went  among  them,  they  al 
ways  received  us  very  cordially,  and  made 
room  for  us  at  their  fires,  glad  to  see  familiar 


Relief  Party.  349 

faces  among  the  visitors  who  daily  came  to 
look  at  them. 

The  wife  of  the  lotan  had  made  for  me  a 
pair  of  moccasins  and  seemed  much  disap 
pointed  that  I  had  abandoned  the  use  of  those 
articles  and  was  wearing  boots. 

I  took  them,  however,  and  thanked  her  by 
signs,  and,  in  return,  made  her  a  present  of  a 
paper  of  pins.  I  was  told  afterwards  that  she 
looked  upon  my  gift  as  quite  a  treasure. 


CHAPTER   XLII. 
Assembling  of  Council — Council. 

AS  soon  as  the  Commissioner  had  arrived  at 
the    fort   he   sent   messengers   to   the 
neighboring  tribes,  summoning  them  to  meet 
their  old  enemies  in  council. 

For  several  days  the  delegates  and  their 
followers  had  been  coming  in  ;  and  their  camps 
were  scattered  through  the  woods  around  the 
fort. 

The  Pawnees  and  Otoes  were  encamped  in 
the  forest  overlooking  the  Missouri  River  ;  but 
care  was  taken  to  keep  the  different  bands 
apart  until  a  permanent  peace  had  been  estab 
lished  between  them. 

Early  one  morning  the  report  of  a  piece  of 
artillery  announced  the  hour  for  the  council ; 
and  before  long  the  different  delegates  with 
their  friends  were  seen  making  their  way  to 
the  place  of  meeting,  which  was  under  a  grove 
of  trees  in  front  of  the  officers'  quarters. 
350 


Assembling  of  the  Council.         351 

First  came  the  Delawares,  gay  with  silver 
ornaments  and  ribands. 

They  were  not  very  warlike  in  their  appear 
ance,  but  the  Pawnees  had  discovered  that 
their  looks  belied  them,  and  regarded  them, 
few  as  they  were  in  number,  as  their  most 
formidable  foes. 

At  their  head  was  their  chief  Sou-wah-nock. 
It  was  he  who  had  led  the  attack  upon  the 
Pawnee  village  when  it  was  sacked  and  burnt. 

He  alone  of  his  tribe  wore  no  ornaments 
except  a  silver  medal,  which  hung  down  upon 
his  breast. 

There  was  an  expression  of  grim  defiance  on 
his  face  as  he  looked  around  upon  his  former 
foes. 

After  the  Delawares  came  the  Shawanese, 
headed  by  the  same  portly  old  Indian  whom 
we  had  met  when  we  first  entered  as  strangers 
into  the  Indian  country.  The  same  enormous 
pair  of  spectacles  was  astride  of  his  nose,  and 
for  aught  I  know  may  have  remained  there 
undisturbed  since  I  last  saw  him. 

Following  him  came  the  fighting  men  of  his 
tribe,  reeking  with  paint  and  gaudy  with 
ribands. 


352         Assembling  of  the  Council. 

These  seated  themselves  beside  the  Dela- 
wares. 

Then  came  the  rest  of  the  migratory  tribes, 
the  Peorias,  Piankashaws,  Pottawattomies,  and 
Kickapoos,  who  all,  as  they  arrived,  took  their 
places  among  their  civilized  brethren. 

After  they  were  seated  the  Otoes  made  their 
appearance,  coming  across  the  green  in  single 
file,  headed  by  their  old  chief  the  lotan. 

They  seated  themselves  at  a  short  distance 
apart  from  the  civilized  Indians. 

Last  of  all  came  the  wild  band  of  Pawnees. 
In  front  of  them  strode  the  Wild  Horse,  his 
savage  features  not  rendered  any  the  less  hid 
eous  by  a  drunken  frolic  in  which  he  had  been 
engaged  on  the  previous  day. 

His  hair  hung  in  tangled  masses  about  his 
head  and  shoulders,  and  his  body  as  usual  was 
smeared  with  red  ochre ;  and  although  the 
weather  was  cold,  his  neck  and  chest  were  bare. 
He  walked  to  his  allotted  place  without  ap 
pearing  to  notice  the  congregated  bands  of 
civilized  Indians.  Next  came  the  Long  Hair 
and  several  other  chiefs,  and  after  them  fol 
lowed  the  whole  savage  horde  from  the  four 
Pawnee  towns. 


Assembling  of  the  Council.         353 

They  stationed  themselves  opposite  the  civ 
ilized  tribes  and  waited  for  the  Commissioner 
to  open  the  council. 

Several  days  before  the  meeting  a  trifling 
incident  was  near  putting  an  end  to  the  incip 
ient  peace. 

It  was  this  : 

The  Delawares  claim  to  be  descended  from 
the  Lenni  Lenape,  who,  centuries  ago,  coming 
up  from  the  south,  settled  themselves  on  the 
eastern  shore  of  this  continent,  which  they 
peopled,  and  were  afterward  known  to  the 
whites  as  Delawares. 

According  to  tradition,  they  are  the  oldest 
tribe  in  Northern  America. 

In  pursuance  of  this  dogma  the  Delawares 
maintain  that  all  the  Indians  on  this  continent 
are  descended  from  their  tribe,  and  they  in 
sisted  that  at  the  coming  council  the  Pawnees, 
when  speaking  to  them,  should  address  them  as 
their  "  great-grandfathers." 

To  this  the  Pawnees  made  strong  opposition, 
and  there  was  some  risk  that  this  point  of 
etiquette  would  either  endanger  the  success  of 
the  council  or  prevent  its  taking  place. 

For  a  short  time  the  Commissioner  was 
perplexed. 


354        Assembling  of  the  Council. 

But  at  length,  privately  assembling  the  chiefs 
of  the  Pawnees,  he  endeavored  to  overcome 
their  prejudices  by  fair  words,  and  finally  suc 
ceeded  in  satisfying  their  scrupulous  pride. 
He  begged  that,  for  the  sake  of  peace,  the 
Delawares  should  be  humored,  although  he 
acknowledged  to  the  Pawnees  that  he  knew 
there  was  no  ground  for  their  claim  of  relation 
ship,  adding  it  was  so  absurd  that  no  one  would 
for  a  moment  credit  that  so  brave  and  powerful 
a  people  as  the  Pawnees  should  have  sprung 
from  so  paltry  a  stock  as  the  Delawares.  The 
chiefs  smiled  grimly  as  they  received  the 
pleasing  unction  of  flattery,  and  at  length  con 
sented  to  submit  to  the  degrading  appellation 
until  the  council  should  be  ended  and  the 
treaty  ratified.  After  which  they  threw  out 
sage  hints  which,  translated  literally,  would 
amount  to  the  same  thing  as  sending  the  Dela 
wares  to  the  devil. 

These  preliminaries  had  been  settled  before 
the  day  of  council.  The  great-grandchildren, 
reversing  the  usual  order  of  things,  no  longer 
disowned  their  great-grandfathers  ;  though  fur 
ther  than  the  mere  title,  there  was  no  display 
of  kindly  feeling. 


Assembling  of  the  Council.         355 

The  two  bands  sat  opposite  each  other  with 
the  same  grim  expression  of  countenances  that 
might  have  been  expected  from  so  many  wild 
cats  ;  each  fearful  to  make  a  single  friendly 
step  in  advance,  lest  he  should  compromise 
the  dignity  of  his  tribe. 

After  they  had  all  assembled  and  were 
ready  for  business,  the  Commissioner  rose  up 
and  stated  the  object  of  the  meeting — that 
war  had  been  carried  on  long  enough  between 
them,  and  that  they  had  now  met  for  the  pur 
pose  of  becoming  friends.  He  then  entered 
explicitly  into  the  conditions  of  the  intended 
peace. 

When  he  had  ended,  the  speakers  of  each 
tribe  addressed  the  council.  All  professed  the 
greatest  friendship  for  their  enemies,  and 
closed  their  speeches  by  throwing  the  whole 
blame  of  every  offence  upon  the  shoulders  of 
some  other  tribe. 

The  delegates  of  several  little  villages,  which 
had  barely  inhabitants  enough  to  hang  a  name 
upon,  also  eased  their  importance  by  speaking. 
The  Delaware  chief  Sou-wah-nock  then  rose. 
He  spoke  of  the  destruction  of  the  Grand 
Pawnee  village.  He  did  not  deny  his  agency 


356  The  Council. 

in  the  deed.  "  The  Pawnees,"  said  he,  "  met 
my  young  men  upon  the  hunt  and  slew  them. 
I  have  had  my  revenge.  Let  them  look  at 
their  town.  I  found  it  filled  with  lodges,  I 
left  it  a  heap  of  ashes."  The  whole  of  his 
speech  was  of  the  same  bold,  unflinching  char 
acter,  and  was  closed  in  true  Indian  style. 

"  I  am  satisfied,"  said  he ;  "I  am  not  afraid 
to  avow  the  deeds  that  I  have  done,  for  I  am 
Sou-wah-nock,  a  Delaware  warrior ;  but  I  am 
willing  to  bury  the  tomahawk,  and  smoke  the 
pipe  of  peace  with  my  enemies.  They  are 
brave  men,  and  fight  well." 

When  he  had  finished  he  presented  a  string 
of  wampum  to  the  Wild  Horse,  as  being  the 
most  distinguished  warrior  of  the  Pawnee  na 
tion.  When  the  slight  bustle  of  giving  and 
receiving  the  present  had  been  finished,  the 
chief  of  the  Republican  village  rose  to  answer 
his  warrior  enemy. 

His  speech  abounded  with  one  of  those  wild 
bursts  of  eloquence  which  peculiarly  mark  the 
savages  of  North  America,  and  concluded  in  a 
manner  which  spoke  highly  of  his  opinion  of 
what  a  warrior  should  be. 

"  I  have  promised  to  the  Delawares,"  said 


The  Council.  357 

he,  "  the  friendship  of  my  tribe.  I  respect  my 
promise,  and  I  cannot  lie,  for  I  am  a  Pawnee 
chief." 

When  the  Delawares  had  spoken,  our  little 
fat  friend  from  the  Shawnee  village  rose.  After 
frequent  expectorations,  he  at  length  succeed 
ed  in  clearing  a  passage  for  the  escape  of  his 
voice. 

He  contrived,  with  great  difficulty,  to  wheeze 
through  a  speech  of  about  ten  minutes  in 
length,  after  which  he  seated  himself,  perfectly 
convinced  that  he  had  thrown  a  great  deal  of 
light  upon  the  subject. 

There  was  a  strong  contrast  between  the  de 
portment  of  the  civilized  and  savage  Indians. 
The  first,  from  long  intercourse  with  the  whites, 
had  acquired  many  of  their  habits.  Their  iron 
gravity  had  yielded  to  a  more  mercurial 
temperament. 

Even  in  the  midst  of  the  council  they  gave 
free  vent  to  their  merriment,  and  uttered  their 
gibes  and  jests.  They  were  constantly  on  the 
move,  coming  and  going  to  and  from  the  place 
of  assembly,  and  paying  but  little  heed  to  the 
deliberations. 

The   Pawnees    sat    motionless,  listening   in 


358  The  Council. 

silence  and  with  profound  attention  to  those 
who  spoke. 

They  rarely  uttered  a  word,  and  the  only 
smile  which  curled  their  lips  was  one  of  scorn 
at  the  frivolous  deportment  of  their  enemies. 

From  early  in  the  morning  till  near  sunset, 
the  council  continued.  They  then  adjourned 
until  the  following  day,  in  order  that  the  dele 
gates  from  some  of  the  small  villages  might 
have  an  opportunity  to  display  their  eloquence. 


CHAPTER  XLIII. 

Kansas  Council —  White  Plume —  Tappage  Chief 
—  Treaty — Interpreter — Departure. 

ON  the  following  morning  the  report  of  a 
cannon  announced  the  hour  of  council. 

Once  more  the  tribes  met,  but  just  as  they 
had  assembled,  word  was  brought  to  the  Com 
missioner  that  the  delegates  from  the  Kansas 
tribe  had  just  arrived,  and  word  was  sent  to 
them  to  attend  the  meeting. 

They  soon  made  their  appearance,  all  clothed 
in  blankets,  and  each  carrying  a  rifle. 

In  front  of  them  was  their  chief,  "  White 
Plume." 

He  wore  a  large  drab  overcoat  with  enormous 
pockets  which  gaped  open. 

This  article  of  dress  deprived  him  altogether 
of  the  dignified  appearance  which  had  marked 
him  upon  our  first  meeting  in  the  summer. 

He,  however,  seemed  perfectly  satisfied  with 
his  attire,  and,  in  truth,  I  believe  that  there 

359 


360  Kansas  Council. 

was  scarcely  a  Pawnee  who  did  not  envy  him 
the  possession  of  an  article  of  apparel  with 
pockets  of  such  a  size  that,  in  case  of  emer 
gency,  they  could  hold  nearly  a  bushel  of 
scalps. 

The  arrival  of  this  chief  and  his  delegation 
had  been  anxiously  expected  ;  for  the  hostility 
between  them  and  the  Pawnees  had  been  bit 
ter ;  and  it  was  all- important  that  peace  should 
be  established  between  two  such  warlike  and 
powerful  tribes. 

The  Pawnees  eyed  them  in  grave  silence  as 
they  came  up  and  took  the  places  set  aside  for 
them,  but  they  evinced  no  hostile  feeling. 

The  business  of  the  council  then  proceeded, 
and  the  chiefs  of  various  small  tribes  in  the 
vicinity  addressed  the  Pawnees — all  agreeing 
to  bury  the  tomahawk  and  regard  them  for 
the  future  as  friends. 

These  offers  were  graciously  received  by  the 
Pawnees,  though  one  of  them  afterwards  re 
marked  to  the  interpreter  "  that  they  had  now 
made  peace  with  several  nations  with  whom 
they  had  never  been  at  war,  and  of  whom  they 
had  never  heard  until  they  rose  to  address 
them  in  council." 


Kansas  Council.  361 

This  was  little  to  be  wondered  at,  as  the 
speakers  were  one  or  two  short-winded  fellows, 
dressed  in  dirty  calico  and  bedraggled  ribands, 
and  their  delegation  probably  comprised  their 
whole  tribe. 

The  deliberations  lasted  during  the  whole 
day,  for  as  these  Indians  had  no  particular  in 
juries  to  dwell  upon,  they  expatiated  on  things 
in  general,  and  each  speaker  continued  his  ad 
dress  until  he  had  exhausted  his  wind.  The 
Pawnees  listened  with  exemplary  patience, 
though  I  doubt  if  there  was  one  who  was  not 
glad  when  the  council  ended. 

The  next  morning  the  Pawnees  and  Kansas 
met  to  settle  their  grievances.  A  large  room 
in  the  garrison  had  been  selected  for  the  pur 
pose.  The  two  bands  occupied  opposite  sides 
of  the  room.  There  was  a  strong  contrast  be 
tween  them.  The  Kansas  had  a  stately  ap- 
appearance,  and  their  white  blankets,  as  they 
hung  in  loose  and  graceful  folds  around  them, 
had  the  effect  of  classic  drapery. 

The  Pawnees  had  no  pride  of  dress.  They 
were  wrapped  in  shaggy  robes,  and  sat  in 
silence — stern,  wild,  and  uncouth. 

At  length  the  speaking   commenced.     The 


362  White  Plume. 

first  of  them  was  the  White  Plume.  He  had 
boasted  that  his  speech  would  make  the  Paw 
nees  wince.  At  first,  in  order  to  conciliate  the 
whites  present,  he  expressed  a  high  opinion  of 
them.  After  this  he  gradually  edged  off  into 
a  philippic  against  the  Pawnee  tribe. 

There  was  a  dead  silence  among  his  own 
people  as  he  spoke,  and  every  eye  was  fas 
tened  upon  the  grim  group  opposite. 

The  chief  of  the  Tappage  village  was  sit 
ting  directly  in  front  of  the  speaker  ;  his  eye 
glowed  like  a  coal  of  fire,  but  he  remained  si 
lent  until  the  speech  was  finished. 

When  the  White  Plume  sat  down,  half  a 
dozen  Pawnees  sprang  to  their  feet,  but  the 
Tappage  chief  waved  them  down  ;  then  step 
ping  out,  and  fixing  his  eye  on  the  Kansas 
chief,  in  a  calm,  quiet  voice  he  commenced  his 
answer,  and  told  the  story  of  the  wrongs  in 
flicted  upon  his  tribe  by  the  Kansas,  which 
had  first  kindled  the  war  between  the  two 
nations. 

"My  young  men,"  said  he,  "visited  them 
as  friends  ;  the  Kansas  treated  them  as  enemies. 
They  were  strangers,  and  the  Kansas  fell  upon 
them,  and  slew  them,  and  concealed  their 


Treaty.  363 

death."  He  then  entered  into  the  particulars 
of  the  quarrel,  which,  unfortunately  for  the 
Kansas,  were  strongly  against  them.  The 
chief  of  the  latter  tribe  received  the  answer 
with  great  philosophy,  nor  did  he  attempt  to 
reply.  Perhaps,  too,  he  did  not  wish  to  invite 
a  second  attack  from  so  rough  a  quarter. 
When  the  Pawnee  had  finished,  the  Com 
missioner  interposed,  and  dropped  a  few  words 
of  oil  upon  the  troubled  waters,  and  after  a 
short  time  harmony  was  restored. 

Several  other  speeches  were  made.  They 
were  of  a  more  calm  and  conciliating  nature, 
and  gradually  tended  to  soothe  the  feelings  of 
both.  The  council  lasted  until  sunset,  when 
the  terms  of  the  treaty  were  finally  adjusted. 

On  this  occasion  I  was  made  sensible  of  the 
justice  of  the  complaint  made  by  those  who 
have  had  public  negotiations  with  the  sav 
age  tribes,  of  the  inefficiency  of  the  inter 
preters  through  whom  they  are  obliged  to 
receive  the  sentiments  and  language  of  the  In- 
dians.  They  are,  with  few  exceptions,  igno 
rant  and  illiterate.  Those  employed  by  us 
spoke  a  wretched  French  patois,  and  a  still 
more  wretched  English.  On  such,  the  high 


364  Interpreter. 

imaginative  vein,  the  poetical  thought,  which 
runs  through  Indian  eloquence,  is  entirely  lost. 

There  was  not  a  savage  who  addressed  us 
who  did  not  at  times  clothe  his  ideas  in  beau 
tiful  language,  and  make  use  of  wild  and 
striking  similes  drawn  from  the  stores  of  his 
only  instructress,  nature. 

This  we  ascertained  from  educated  persons 
present  who  were  well  versed  in  some  of  the 
Indian  tongues.  As  to  the  interpreters,  they  re 
duced  every  thing  to  a  bald,  disjointed  jargon.* 

On  the  day  following  the  council  the  articles 
of  peace  were  signed,  and  most  of  the  tribes 
departed  for  their  respective  homes.  A  few  of 
the  Pawnees  and  Otoes  remained  to  accom 
pany  the  Commissioner  to  the  village  of  the 
Osages,  for  the  purpose  of  negotiating  a  peace 
with  that  tribe,  with  whom  they  had  long  been 
at  deadly  enmity. 

Here  I  will  conclude  this  series  of  Indian 
sketches,  for  the  council  being  ended  and  my 

*  To  give  an  instance  of  this  — One  of  the  chiefs,  in 
speaking  of  iheir  treaty,  said  he  was  so  much  pleased  at  meet 
ing  his  old  foes  as  friends,  "  That  it  made  his  bosom  glow  with 
warmth." 

Interpreter's  version:  "He  say,  'he  so  glad,  he  sweat  a 
heap.'  " 


Departure.  365 

curiosity  satisfied,  I  determined  to  return  home 
ward  on  the  following  day.  A  feeling  of  sad 
ness  came  over  me  as  I  prepared  to  leave 
those  with  whom  I  had  for  months  associated. 
However  different  in  dispositions  and  feelings, 
we  had  until  then  been  united  by  a  link  of 
sympathy.  We  had  led  the  same  life,  viewed 
the  same  scenes,  and  undergone  the  same  priva 
tions.  For  months  together  one  tent  had  shel 
tered  us,  and  we  had  eaten  from  the  same  board. 

A  rough,  untrammelled  friendship  had 
sprung  up  between  us,  increasing  with  the 
distance  between  ourselves  and  our  homes, 
and  strengthening  as  we  retired  farther  from 
the  abode  of  civilized  man. 

But  now  we  had  returned  from  our  wander 
ings,  and  were  once  more  in  the  circle  of  our  fel 
lows.  Still  old  recollections  bound  us  together 
by  a  golden  tie  that  was  painful  to  sever ;  and 
although  my  home,  with  all  its  attractions  rose 
in  my  fancy,  yet  I  felt  sad  when  one  of  the 
orderlies  informed  me  that  all  was  ready. 

I  shook  hands  with  my  friends  and  comrades 
of  the  wilderness,  and  mounting  my  mule, 
with  a  heavy  heart,  turned  my  back  upon 
Leavenworth. 


AN  INITIAL  PINE  OP  25  CENTS 


390412 

W5X7 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  UBRARY 


